Summer Kiss Melons
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Summer Kiss melons are a small to medium-sized varietal, averaging 10 to 12 centimeters in diameter, and have a round to slightly oval shape with curved, blunt ends. When mature, the rind is thin, firm, and tough, ripening from green to golden yellow. The rind is also covered in a raised tan netting, comprised of irregular patterns and small broken lines. This netting has a rough, sand-paper-like feel creating a textured surface. Underneath the rind, the orange flesh is dense, aqueous, and soft with a tender consistency. The flesh also encases a cavity in the center of the flesh, filled with ivory oval seeds enveloped in a gelatinous coating and suspended between pale orange, stringy fibers. Summer Kiss melons emit a subtly sweet aroma when ripe and should feel heavy for their size, an indication of juice content. The flesh has a mild, refreshing, and sweet flavor with lingering honeyed nuances.
Seasons/Availability
Summer Kiss melons are available in the summer through fall.
Current Facts
Summer Kiss melons, botanically classified as Cucumis melo, are a specialty variety belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. The melon is a part of a line of branded melons known as Kiss melons, developed through Savor Fresh Farms in Yuma, Arizona. There are several varieties under the Kiss brand, including Honey Kiss, Sugar Kiss, Kiss Limon, Golden Kiss, Snow Kiss, and an older variety once known as French Kiss. Each melon in the line bears a distinct flavor and texture, and Kiss melons were sourced from breeders worldwide. Summer Kiss melons are cultivated as a premium farm-to-table variety and are sought after by melon enthusiasts for their mild, sweet flavor without being cloying. The variety is naturally bred and not genetically modified, harvested by hand at peak ripeness to maintain quality and consistency. Summer Kiss melons are popularly consumed fresh and are a seasonal summertime delicacy.
Nutritional Value
Summer Kiss melons are a source of vitamin C to boost collagen production, strengthen the immune system, and reduce inflammation. The melons also provide fiber to regulate the digestive tract, potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, and other nutrients, including copper, zinc, calcium, and magnesium.
Applications
Summer Kiss melons have a subtly sweet flavor suited for fresh preparations. The melon's tender, juicy flesh is primarily consumed straight out of hand, and the melon can be served as a breakfast topping to yogurt, an afternoon snack sprinkled with lime juice, honey, salt, or ginger, or as a light, refreshing dessert. Summer Kiss melons can add color to green salads, fruit bowls, and grains, or the flesh can be sliced into wedges and served as an accompaniment to salty meats, soft cheeses, dried fruits, and nuts. Try blending Summer Kiss melons into smoothies and shakes for a hint of sweetness or juicing for cocktails as a summertime treat. The melon's flesh can be balled and served in fruit punch, champagne, or mojitos, or it can be frozen and incorporated into granita, sorbet, and popsicles. Summer Kiss melons also have a neutral taste, complementing sweet and savory dishes. The flesh can be lightly seared to enhance and caramelize its natural sugars, grilled to impart a smokey flavor, simmered into jams and preserves, or cooked into syrups as a light flavor. The sweetness of Summer Kiss melons is enhanced when paired with fresh herbs such as mint, cilantro, oregano, tarragon, and basil or served with fruits including coconut, grapes, strawberries, watermelons, and stone fruits. Whole, unopened Summer Kiss melons can be kept at room temperature for a few days to soften the flesh. Once ready to eat, the melons should be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Sliced Summer Kiss melons are wrapped in plastic or stored in a sealed container in the fridge and should be consumed within 1 to 3 days.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Summer Kiss melons are a family affair. Milas and Diana Russell have been growing melons since 1979 in Yuma, Arizona. The couple has differentiated themselves from other melon growers by focusing on quality rather than quantity and has designed a production line centered around flavor. The Russell's son, Milas Russell III, has joined the family business and is currently President of their newly rebranded company Savor Fresh Farms, once known as Sandstone Melons. The company's name change was enacted to ignite a movement within melon cultivation to focus on flavor and memorable melon-eating experiences. Kiss melons are one of the family's most successful melon lines, and the varieties sold under the Kiss branding each have a different flavor to suit various consumer preferences. Kiss melons are marketed with the slogan "a kiss for every desire," and Summer Kiss melons fulfill the need for a mellow, sweet melon. The variety was named Summer Kiss after the memories of a relaxing summer afternoon, a moniker designed to evoke feelings of satisfaction, peace, and subtle warmth.
Geography/History
Summer Kiss melons were released through Savor Fresh Farms, a family-owned and operated company based in Yuma, Arizona. Milas and Diana Russell, owners of Savor Fresh Farms, have partnered with seed developers worldwide to cultivate new varieties of melons, and Summer Kiss melons can be traced to varieties from Israel. The melons were selected for cultivation for their tender, juicy flesh, and sweet nature and were branded a part of the Kiss melon line as a specialty variety. Summer Kiss melons are grown in Arizona and Central and Southern California. In 2020, Savor Fresh Farms signed an agreement with Dulcinea Farms and its parent company Pacific Trellis Fruits, to exclusively market and distribute the varieties within the Kiss melon line. Dulcinea and Pacific Trellis Fruits have been in business since 2014 and are one of the top year-round growers, marketers, and shippers of melons domestically in the United States. Today Sugar Kiss melons are grown in the United States and are sold through select grocers, local farmers markets, and health food stores.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Summer Kiss Melons. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Greta's Day |
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Fresh Summer Melon Smoothie |
