Cantaloupe

Choose one that feels heavy for its size and smells sweet at the stem end. The blossom end should give slightly to gentle pressure; avoid fruit with soft, wet patches or a fermented smell.

Wash and dry the whole melon before cutting, so the knife does not carry dirt from the rind into the flesh. Halve it, scoop out the seeds, then slice or peel the halves on a clean board.

Keep an unripe cantaloupe at room temperature until it smells fragrant and yields slightly at the blossom end. Once ripe, refrigerate it and use it within about five days.

Put cut pieces in a covered container and refrigerate promptly; use them within three to four days. Keep the melon chilled rather than leaving it out for a long stretch at a picnic or buffet.

Its sweet, fragrant flesh works with salty prosciutto, feta, mint, lime and berries. Serve it in a fruit salad, blend it into a chilled soup, or pair slices with cured ham as a simple starter.

Yes: remove the rind and seeds, cut the flesh into cubes and freeze them in a single layer before transferring them to a container. Thawed cantaloupe turns soft, so use it in smoothies or blended drinks rather than expecting fresh-fruit texture.

Yes. Honeydew has a milder, less musky flavour and pale green flesh, but works in the same fruit salads, chilled soups and melon-and-ham dishes; use the same amount.

Cantaloupe belongs to the muskmelon group, but the names are not used consistently: in some places “cantaloupe” means the netted, orange-fleshed melon, while elsewhere it refers to a different type. Look for the netted rind and orange flesh if that is the variety you want.