Honeydew

After such a substantial meal, you'll want to keep things light for dessert. A little fancier than a fruit salad yet almost as easy, this cool combination of musky cantaloupe and honeydew gets an unexpected fillip from icy granita. Don’t worry if the granita melts faster than you expect—it will slump into a lovely sauce over the fruit.

A stylish symphony in green, this dish has a heady bouquet to match. The tart tomatoes and sweet melon are the stars, but the supporting players—hot jalapeño, earthy pumpkin seeds, and pungent cilantro—add plenty of intrigue.

Inspired by the floral qualities of Japanese teas and sweets, this cool jelly's lightly flowery flavor is enhanced by orange Muscat.

Ensalada de jícama con melón Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Fonda San Miguel: Thirty Years of Food and Art, by Tom Gilliland, Miguel Ravago, and Virginia B. Wood. For more on Cinco de Mayo, click here. Chef Miguel Ravago also shared some helpful tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. Although many fresh condiments in Mexican cuisine are called pico de gallo ("rooster's beak"), this refreshing salad from the Mexican state of Jalisco is known as Pico de Gallo. Depending on the seasonal availability of fresh fruit, Miguel has found that the salad is equally good made with Rio Star grapefruit, pineapple, blood oranges, cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew melon. The contrast of sweet fruit, crunchy jícama, tangy lime juice, and a little dash of chili powder makes for a delightful palate cleanser.

Removing the typical cucumber from tabbouleh leaves plenty of room for fresh honeydew or any cool, sweet melon in this summer-inspired departure.

In this perfect no-cook dish you can substitute crumbled bacon for the chicken or just omit the meat altogether.

Ginger, cumin, and black pepper add an exotic touch to this refreshing and colorful three-melon dessert. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

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

This recipe makes more honeydew ice than you'll need for the soup, but it's also terrific spooned into our plum limeade. And this dish, like the limeade, is one that you'll want to serve right away so that the soup won't begin to darken.

Sugar cookies are the perfect accompaniment to this colorful finale.