As surprising as it may be cantaloupe, Cucumismelo L., and cucumber, C.sativus L., are in the same genus. At least its is easy to believe that cantaloupe and muskmelon are the same thing, but so is a honeydew melon. Either way most people I know prefer muskmelon for the better aroma while cantaloupe is an acceptable alternative, but I have never liked honeydew melon. Muskmelons also tend to be small enough for just a few people at a sitting since they do not keep as well, which is typical for the best of any fruit or vegetable. Telling if a cantaloupe is ripe it a little different than for watermelons since by nature cantaloupes are rough. There are some visual clues such at a more orange tint than green, but the sense of smell is most important. The blossom end ripens first so check there otherwise you may get one that is overripe. If it smells like you like them then get that one and if it is a honeydew melon then keep it to yourself because as far as I can tell they are just green rinds and the frozen ones they served with school lunches were just that mush worse.
Now it gets weird. I will not eat gravy on biscuits without at least having a slice of cantaloupe that I put the gravy on as well. To me it is best if the melon is at room temperature to the gravy doesn't get cold, which is another reason the smaller muskmelons are preferred rather than a cantaloupe that may take a week to eat this way. Apparently cantaloupe and gravy is a delicacy exclusive to the south and even then only sporadic in isolated pockets such as Sand Mountain, and for some purest it is only seasonal. Tomato gravy seems to be a little more widely enjoyed, but it seems odd to me. Either way to give you an idea how odd all this is a neighbor of my ordered just biscuits and gravy when vacationing in Wisconsin, but he didn't discern the meaning of the confused look he got until he was served dinner rolls and brown gravy. At least cantaloupe and gravy can be assembled at many restaurant breakfast bars unlike chocolate gravy, which is virtually unheard of at a restaurant, and considering how the hot fudge for ice cream is such a poor substitution. Besides it doesn't get much weirder than me putting it on scrambled eggs. At least I found one way to make a reasonable approximation at scouting events where doing individualized cooking is possible, and that is to add a pack of hot chocolate mix (with no marshmallows) to a couple of eggs that are being cooked in a Ziploc bag. So far nobody has ever accidentally gotten my eggs, but it seems about as likely as a spinster aunt being there period, which would be a cool as a cucumber if it happened and turned out to be love at first bite rather than just another weirdo (to me) breaking out the ketchup to put on eggs although I'll at least admit that chunky salsa makes an easy omelet.
Has Mythbusters done 'cool as cucumber' yet? Uses of cucumbers include pickles, cosmetics, get your mind out of the gutter, and pickles. Okay so pickles are important enough to be mentioned twice besides there are two main kinks sweet and dill, although for the most part I only eat enough dill pickles to remind myself that I don't usually like dill pickles, and the same goes for Mexican food. One thing about making pickles is being on top of picking the right sized cucumbers. For gherkin size you need lots of plants, but if you miss getting them all you will have more of the larger sizes than you will know what to do with.
