EVANS CAGLAGE/DMN

Cantaloupe and honeydew, along with watermelon, are helping us to extend the cool flavors of summer. Although the Pecos season was cut short by too much rain, the melons coming in from other parts of the country are hitting their peak. Plus, melons travel a bit better than more perishable peaches and other soft fruits.

To test for ripeness, you can subject both cantaloupe and honeydew to a thump test, just as you would a watermelon. Higher and more hollow-sounding thumps indicate ripeness. Melons also may develop a flat spot where the weight of the fruit has pushed down as they ripened, a good sign.

Pick a cantaloupe by looking for good exterior netting over orange or gold; the stem end should give slightly when you press it. Sniff for a sweet fragrance, too. Honeydews are ripe when they're pale yellow.

Here's a recipe that will bring back Jell-O salad memories, even if it's called a mousse.

Place 4 ½ cups diced cantaloupe into a food processor and process until smooth. Remove puréed cantaloupe from processor and set aside. With the processor running, add 8 ounces cream cheese (cut in pieces), a little at a time until it's creamy. Add 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup vanilla yogurt, 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel (yellow part only), 1 tablespoon lemon juice and ½cup granulated sugar. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally. Add the puréed cantaloupe and process until well blended.

In a small saucepan, sprinkle 2 ½ packages ( ¼ ounce) unflavored gelatin over ¼cup cold water. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, until the gelatin is softened. Heat the gelatin on very low heat, stirring gently until the liquid is clear. Add the gelatin to the cantaloupe and cream cheese mixture and process until blended.

Pour the mixture into a 6-cup mold and chill until set, at least 2 hours. Unmold gelatin and garnish with diced cantaloupe and honeydew, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Kim Pierce

SOURCE: Southernfood.about.com

Peaking or abundant: Blackberries, figs, peaches, okra, California heirloom tomatoes, peas such as black-eyes, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, red and green grapes, champagne grapes, eggplant, cucumbers, corn, green beans, mangoes, plums, leafy greens, strawberries, celery, cabbage, bok choy, greens (collard, mustard and turnip), avocados, carrots, peppers, russet and red potatoes, onions

Spotty or out of season: Lemons, apricots, cherries, kumquats, tangerines

Look for light supplies as farmer's markets transition to fall crops. Community markets will reflect many of the same trends reported at the Dallas Farmers Market.

Check out our Dallas-Fort Worth area farmer's market and an interactive map.

Dallas Farmers Market highlights: Persimmons are picking up; look for two varieties, Eureka and Fuyu. Still good supplies of Lady Cream and purple-hull peas, with a few black-eyes. Everything else is light, light, light, including okra, onions, red new potatoes, yellow straight-neck and zucchini squash, and Kieffer and Asian pears.

Note: Early Saturday shoppers may find figs and fresh Chinese jujubes (dates).

Artisanal producers continue to weather the renovations in Shed No. 2. These include pastured Texas Meats, Philomena's breads, Mawker Coffee, Kurry King and others.

East: Swordfish

West: Dover sole

South: Hurricane Felix has disrupted fish supplies

Imported: Snapper from Costa Rica

Farm-raised: Striped bass

SOURCES: Joe LaBarba, American Foodservice; Toni Johns, City of Dallas Farmers Market; Marianne Marcinko, Ocean Beauty Seafood Co.