PUNTOITALY N°2 - July - December 2012

47 THE ITALIAN MAGAZINE FOR INTERNATIONAL BUYERS IN GELATO, PASTRY AND TRENDY FOOD-AND-DRINK Sweet, fragrant, refreshing, the honeydew melon of summer lends itself to multiple uses in gelato and pastry lab. It is easy to match melon also with savoury preparations, ideal under a layer of carpaccio, on its own, or with the classic accompaniment of prosciutto crudo. Besides this, it can be an elegant and colourful decoration for cakes and gelato cups. The melon chosen must be ripe but not over-ripe, so that it can be thinly sliced without risk of breaking. photo by Studio Indoor A VERSATILE FRUIT With the extremely inviting yellowy orange colour of its flesh, honeydew melon is perfect when served on its own, or else with a sweet or savoury accom- paniment, or also as an attractive decoration. To obtain the best results with the slicer, you must choose a melon at the right stage of ripeness, that is to say not excessively soft, but it must not be under-ripe ei- ther, in order to be sure that it will have that unmistakeable aroma. The ideal melon will appear dense and solid to the touch, give a little bit (but not too much) at the ends, and have the right degree of aroma.