Agua de Melón - Try Cantaloupe For Another Refreshing Mexican Drink

This is another of the Mexican "aguas" in the same family of fruit drinks as my previous post on Agua de Sandía.  The great thing about these drinks is that they often take advantage of parts of the fruit that you would likely throw away.  Not only do you avoid wasting perfectly nutritious food (remember your grandma's adage "waste not want not"?) but you end up with a delicious lightly sweetened drink that balances and tempers most meals--especially strong or spicy ones like Mexican food.  In the case of Agua de Melón, which is made with the seeds, pulp, and skin of cantaloupe you also get some really wonderful health benefits.  Cantaloupe originated in Asia and Africa--it was first cultivated in Iran 5,000 years ago and in Greece and Egypt 4,000 years ago.  Cantaloupe was named after a province in Italy called Cantalupo (means "song of the wolf") where it was first cultivated in Europe.

Health Benefits of Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe is an important source of the following nutrients:

• Folate - an important water-soluble B-vitamin micronutrient for healthy cell maintenance and the prevention of anemia. In fact, folate deficiency may lead to intrauterine growth retardation in newborns, and stunted growth in infants and children.
• Carotenoids - these are the yellow, orange and sometimes reddish pigments synthesized by plants which decrease a person's risk of cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer.  Also two specific carotenoids in cantaloupe (lutein and zeaxanthin) help lower the risk for the development of age-related macular degeneration -- the most common cause of blindness.
• Vitamin C - plays an important role in the growth and repair of tissues, helps in forming collagen (protein needed for making skin tissues, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels), is an anti-oxidant that blocks the action of free radicals which lead to early aging.
• Potassium - an electrolyte that conducts electricity within the body together with sodium, calcium and magnesium and plays a very important role in muscle and heart contraction and is also essential for a healthy gastrointestinal tract.

Here is how to make Agua de Melón

• 1 Cantaloupe's seeds, pulp, and and rind (slice up the melon part and serve it on a fruit plate)
• 3 quarts Water - cold ice water is best
• 1 1/4 cup Sugar - or equivalent amounts of your favorite sweetener 
• 3 Limes and/or Lemons juiced

Wash the outside of the cantaloupe well.  Cut the cantaloupe in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp from the core.  Cut it in wedges (see upper right hand photo in the collage) and cut off the peels.  Cut the peels up into small squares to make it easier to blend.  Place seeds, pulp, and skin into a heavy duty blender (could use a food processor)  add just enough of the water to cover the fruit and blend it well.  Pour the blended puree through a strainer to separate the liquid from the ground up peels, pulp, and seeds (simply discard these).  Pour the liquid into a gallon-sized jug and stir in the sugar and the lime/lemon juice.  Add the rest of the ice water and stir.  Serve chilled with lime wedges or sprigs of mint.

Break out the spicy foods or just drink it for pleasure on a warm day.