Melon

An old-school ice cream scoop turns out beautiful curls of melon; the pink peppercorn and bay–infused wine syrup keeps things interesting.

An added pleasure of this salad lunch is that you can mix your own. Take a large tray and line it with grape leaves or large flat leaves of leaf lettuce. In the center place a shallow dish piled high with heart leaves of lettuce, watercress and spikes of French endive. Around this dish, on the grape leaves, arrange fruits according to your liking, such as:

Most kids will like the dressing, but you might want to put it on the side just in case. Serve pink lemonade to the kids; the grown-ups might prefer iced tea or sangria.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This refreshing salad is delicious and ideal as a snack or light dessert in the heat of summer. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

There's plenty of zing in this refreshing summer salad, which also features red onion and peppery watercress.

The smoked paprika in this recipe adds depth. Unlike Hungarian paprika powder, which is prepared by drying the chiles in the sun, the Spanish smoked version (like La Chinata brand) is prepared by roasting the peppers over smoldering oak fires before being ground to a velvety powder. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Juicy cantaloupe makes a refreshing salsa for grilled chicken or fish. For a milder salsa, discard all the chile seeds.

This tangy, spicy chutney is a twist on southern pickled watermelon rind. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 25 1/2 hr (includes chilling)

This is a variation on the Sicilian classic gelo di melone, which is steeped with jasmine flowers. We substituted anise seeds but kept the traditional garnishes of chocolate shavings, pistachios, and whipped cream. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 4 hr (includes chilling)

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

A refreshing dessert on its own or spooned over vanilla ice cream. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.