There was no way I could do a cantaloupe recipe without it being this one. My fellow contributor
here at the Fernley Reporter, Justin Miller, was the first to introduce me to this delight, so I asked
him to share it with Food For Thought this week.
Cantaloupe melons have been grown in the Fernley area for more than a century. The fruit is
special to those living in the agrarian parts of Nevada - Fallon even hosts the annual Cantaloupe
festival. In the glory days of melon growing (pre-1929) farmers could brag about sending Hearts-
O-Gold to cosmopolitan places as near as Reno and as far as The White House. The fruit was
shipped by rail of course, and that’s where this recipe originated.
Created by a chef on the Texas and Pacific Railroad to impress a group of potential farmer
clients, it might be the most refreshing pie you’ll ever eat. It’s perfect for summer (or early
autumn!) barbecues, and is sure to get you compliments at any potluck you take it to.
Ingredients
1 Very ripe cantaloupe (use over ripe if possible for the most juice)
1 Cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tablespoons flour, more or less as needed (I prefer cornstarch as it thickens better) for this
method- mix 4 tablespoons of cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of water to make a cornstarch
slurry
3 Tablespoons butter
1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg
1 Pre-baked pie crust
Instructions
Slice cantaloupe in half, deseed and remove rind, reserving all juices. Cut into small pieces and
push through a ricer.
2. Place melon with juice and water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes,
stirring often.
3. Mix sugar and flour and slowly add to hot mixture, stirring constantly. If using cornstarch, mix
4 tablespoons cornstarch with 4 tablespoons water to make cornstarch slurry, slowly add slurry to
hot mixture stirring constantly.
4. Add butter and nutmeg, stir until butter melts.
5. Cool and pour into pre-baked pie crust
6. If desired, top with whipped cream or meringue made according to your favorite recipe and
brown in oven.
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