Recipe: Agua Fresca de Melon or What to do with an under ripe cantaloupe?

Oaxaca is famous for its Aguas Frescas … those sublime fruit drinks perfect for sipping while sitting on the zocalo or strolling down the Alcala Macedonia. Fresh fruit waters come in a variety of flavors: pineapple (pina), cantaloupe (melon), watermelon (sandia), mango or papaya. They are made in a blender with water, sugar and ice (hielo). Ice made from purified water, which the good restaurants always use, is not a problem….no worries! Now that I’m home, I’m yearning for those delicous Aguas Frescas. I bought a cantaloupe the other day, cut it open and discovered it was not yet ripe…and once cut, too bad. So, I quartered it, seeded it, cut the flesh into bite sized pieces, put it in the blender with the following recipe, and lo and behold, Agua Fresca de Melon — fabulous.

• 1 large cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, with flesh cubed into 1″ pieces
• 2 T. sugar or 1 T. Splenda
• 2 cups water
• 8-10 ice cubes
• Optional: 1/2 cup non-fat plain yoghurt

Blend the fruit and sugar with 1 cup of water until pureed. Add the remaining water and continue blending until smooth. Add the ice cubes until you get the coldness and watering consistency you want. If needed, add more ice cubes and correct the sugar for taste adding more if you so choose. I put in the yoghurt to give the drink a delicious creamy texture. A su salud!