A weekly look at produce at local farmers markets.

What: Galia melon

Season: Late summer, fall

About: The galia melon is one of many unusual melons you can find at local farmers markets. Galia, specifically, is a small melon, about the size of a water balloon. Its deep yellow skin is mottled with lines and cracks. A galia melon’s flavor is a cross between honeydew and cantaloupe. These melons are known for being very sweet and juicy. The flesh inside is a very pale green. When selecting a melon, I like to check the outside for firmness — the melon should give ever so slightly to pressure. Then I hold up the stem end and give a good sniff (this is the method my dad taught me). The melon should smell faintly of how you want it to taste. If a cantaloupe doesn’t give off a bit of cantaloupe scent, it’s not ready to eat. The galia melon we picked gives off a sweet smell of earth and honey. There are dozens of melons to try. I think experimenting with melon varieties is fun and low-risk. It’s rare for me to encounter a melon I dislike.

Preparation: First, I like to wash the outside of the melon to remove any dirt — that way when you cut into the melon, your knife won’t transfer dirt from the skin to the flesh. After splitting the melon in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon. You can either carve the melon into slices, leaving the inedible outer skin on and eat around it or carve the outer skin off. The best way to eat melon is simply to eat it raw and fresh, straight after slicing. However, many people also like pairing the sweet of melon with prosciutto or ham in a salad or on a skewer. You can also add the melon flavor to a fresh cocktail.

— Alandra Johnson, The Bulletin

Produce purchased from Agricultural Connections, which distributes goods from regional farms (www.agriculturalconnections.com).