Melons are among the fruits whose appearance at the Market—despite the fact they’re in no way a natural feature of the British landscape—undoubtedly shout, “summer’s here”. Whatever the weather might be doing. Currently all but tumbling off the greengrocers’ colourful stalls, they’re a motley bunch, in hues of green and yellow and orange, striped and bumped, each with its own personality.
What melons and watermelons lack in the pick-up, walk and eat appeal of strawberries and cherries, they make up for in versatility. “Wrap a chunk of melon in a bit of Parma ham and you can’t really go wrong,” says Paul. A perennial Italian starter, “it’s as old as the hills, but it’s endured for a reason.” Jenny Chandler echoes this classic agro-dulce combination in her watermelon, feta, and herby bulgur wheat salad. “I like torpedo watermelon filled with vodka, personally!” laughs Charlie; Celia Brooks prefers the more sophisticated watermelon margerita—the perfect summer party drink.