日本での発見 / Discoveries in Japan #33: メロン / Cantaloupe

I was shocked to receive a cantaloupe in my co-op box this week. (I'm actually not sure if it's a cantaloupe or a honeydew, not that I know the difference—I assume that orange flesh is cantaloupe and green flesh is honeydew.)

I understand that cantaloupes in Japan are really expensive, especially the Yūbari melon. (In my summer gift catalog one Yūbari melon with a sugar level of over 12 degrees goes for ¥6,300, though it does get shipped in a wooden box.) So imagine my surprise when I got an "Andes melon" grown in Ibaraki Prefecture, one apparently considered a "medium" size (though it fits on the palm of my hand). I'm too scared to eat it because I'm afraid that it's supposed to be treasured to the utmost...

Today was a lovely day, with my friend giving me a beautiful bouquet to celebrate a fork in the road. Now, to wait for someone to come home so we can eat a melon...