Honeydew

A stylish symphony in green, this dish has a heady bouquet to match. The tart tomatoes and sweet melon are the stars, but the supporting players—hot jalapeño, earthy pumpkin seeds, and pungent cilantro—add plenty of intrigue.

Inspired by the floral qualities of Japanese teas and sweets, this cool jelly's lightly flowery flavor is enhanced by orange Muscat.

Basil, cilantro, and red bell pepper bring a savory element to this fruit salad. This is a great dessert, but would be equally good for breakfast or brunch.

Ensalada de jícama con melón Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Fonda San Miguel: Thirty Years of Food and Art, by Tom Gilliland, Miguel Ravago, and Virginia B. Wood. For more on Cinco de Mayo, click here. Chef Miguel Ravago also shared some helpful tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. Although many fresh condiments in Mexican cuisine are called pico de gallo ("rooster's beak"), this refreshing salad from the Mexican state of Jalisco is known as Pico de Gallo. Depending on the seasonal availability of fresh fruit, Miguel has found that the salad is equally good made with Rio Star grapefruit, pineapple, blood oranges, cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew melon. The contrast of sweet fruit, crunchy jícama, tangy lime juice, and a little dash of chili powder makes for a delightful palate cleanser.

Removing the typical cucumber from tabbouleh leaves plenty of room for fresh honeydew or any cool, sweet melon in this summer-inspired departure.

Toss the takeout! This slimmed-down dish is delish. Traditional Chinese cuisine is among the healthiest, but the American version of sweet-and-sour pork is sugary and fatty. Ying Chang Compestine, author of Secrets From a Healthy Asian Kitchen (Penguin Putnam), gave the recipe a healthy revamp — hers uses the leanest part of the pig and gets its sweetness from fruit. So break out the chopsticks and savor these Far East flavors straight from your stove top.

The compote is a mixture of spiced fresh and dried fruits that are cooked in white grape juice and white wine. Any leftovers are great over ice cream or with plain yogurt for breakfast. Prepare the compote and flans at least one day before you plan to serve them.

In this perfect no-cook dish you can substitute crumbled bacon for the chicken or just omit the meat altogether.

Ginger, cumin, and black pepper add an exotic touch to this refreshing and colorful three-melon dessert. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.