+ Honeydew: This large oval melon has smooth, creamy-white to yellow-green skin. Its pale green flesh is crisp, juicy and, when ripe, it is very sweet. Some say it is the sweetest of melons. Choose melons that are on the creamy-white side with a honey-like aroma. The blossom end should be slightly soft. Skip those with flat white or greenish color. Ditto those that are as hard as a baseball.

+ Orange-flesh honeydew: Part of the honeydew family, this sweet melon is more like a cantaloupe in color, taste, texture and aroma. When ripe, the rind is light salmon pink.

+ Juan canary: Sweet, fragrant and juicy, this oblong melon has a pleasantly crisp texture. It is ripe when the rind has turned canary yellow.

+ Crenshaw: A cross between a casaba and a Persian melon, this melon has dense, salmon-colored flesh. The flavor is both sweet and spicy. When ripe, the melon will be medium yellow all over. Handle with care - crenshaws are fragile. Refrigerated, it will keep longer than a week.

+ Santa Claus: Striped like a watermelon, these melons have creamy-white to yellow flesh. Crisp and juicy, they taste similar to a casaba. The brighter the yellow in its stripe, the riper and more flavorful it will be. Both ends should give slightly under pressure.

+ Sharlyn: Sweet and fragrant with creamy-soft, juicy flesh that is good down to its rind. It is fully ripe when then skin under the netting is a uniform orange.

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