Recipe: Agua Fresca de Melon or What to do with an under ripe cantaloupe?

Oaxaca is famous for its Aguas Frescas … those sublime fruit drinks perfect for sipping while sitting on the zocalo or strolling down the Alcala Macedonia. Fresh fruit waters come in a variety of flavors: pineapple (pina), cantaloupe (melon), watermelon (sandia), mango or papaya. They are made in a blender with water, sugar and ice (hielo). Ice made from purified water, which the good restaurants always use, is not a problem….no worries! Now that I’m home, I’m yearning for those delicous Aguas Frescas. I bought a cantaloupe the other day, cut it open and discovered it was not yet ripe…and once cut, too bad. So, I quartered it, seeded it, cut the flesh into bite sized pieces, put it in the blender with the following recipe, and lo and behold, Agua Fresca de Melon — fabulous.

• 1 large cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, with flesh cubed into 1″ pieces
• 2 T. sugar or 1 T. Splenda
• 2 cups water
• 8-10 ice cubes
• Optional: 1/2 cup non-fat plain yoghurt