Fresh Melon Julep
Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, snipped
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
• ¼ cup dark rum
• 10 cups cantaloupe balls (about 3 cantaloupes)
• 2 honeydew melon balls
• 2 watermelon balls
• Fresh mint sprigs

Preparation Instructions

Combine sugar and mint leaves with 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour through a strainer, discard mint. Stir in lemon or lime juice and rum. Cool. Combine cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon with cooled mint-rum syrup. Chill several hours or overnight. To serve, spoon fruit into dessert dishes and garnish with sprigs of mint.