September 28, 2011

Frosty Melon – A Guest Mid-Century Recipe Test

RetroRuth says: This week we have a fun post from Yinzerella over at Dinner is Served! She made the freaky and amazing Frosty Melon that was featured here just a little while ago. I have to admit, I am jealous. It isn’t every day that one gets to eat Jell-O from a cantaloupe! And this is only part of her hilarious post, so if you want to read more about Barbecued Chuck roast and watching all nine seasons of the X-Files, make sure you head over to her blog and check it out! Thanks, Yinzerella!

What is Frosty Melon, you ask? Well, it is a gift from the Jell-O gods. Specifically, the brilliant, benevolent, other worldly, test-kitchen-bound beings who gave us the treasure trove that is 1962′s The Joys of Jello.

It is a mysterious little marvel–a melon with SURPRISE! Jell-O inside. The Frosty Melon is like a question wrapped in a riddle folded into an enigma. How did that Jell-O get into that melon? What the hell is that white stuff? Let me assure you that The Truth is Out There.

First, I made the lime Jell-O, let it set until it was thick.

And there it is in the fridge, looking quite UFO-like, no?

While the Jell-O was chilling out I tackled the difficult part of the Frosty Melon–the melon. How the hell was I going to peel the cantaloupe while keeping it whole? How was the Jell-O going to get from my fridge into that melon? Here’s how:

I started with a fish knife (is that what it’s called?) and bit by bit cut off the rind in a spiral pattern.

The melon was ripe, so skin removal was easier than I thought.

Using a vegetable peeler, I smoothed out the rough edges and removed the remaining green stuff.

I cut off the top of the melon and scooped out the insides

The melon, once drained was filled with Jell-O and fruit cocktail

Toothpicks were used to secure the top of the melon

A small slice was cut off the bottom of the melon so it could stand straight and then frosted with whipped cream cheese.

What? What is that stuff?

FROSTY MELON!

Its insides are green like the noxious blood that oozes out of the alien bounty hunters–am I right?

So there you have it. Frosty Melon.

The Verdict:  This was good. Like, really good. Cleve said that it could have used a bit of confectioner’s sugar in the cream cheese, and that might work, but it was really sweet as is. And like I said, good. What’s not to like, really?

- Cantaloupe? Good.

- Jell-O? Good.

- Fruit Cocktail? Good.

- Cream Cheese? Good!

So hell yeah, Frosty Melon!!!