Mixed melons with peppery minted lime syrup

This seemingly straight-forward salad has a little trick up its sleeve: cayenne pepper. It makes an appearance in the homemade lime and mint syrup. It’s a small dose—just 1/8 teaspoon—but it’s just enough to make its presence known without wreaking too much havoc. If you’d like it to be hotter, feel free to add more. When choosing melons, here are a few tips. Watermelons don’t ripen after you pick them, so look for melons with a yellow spot on the bottom. Cantaloupes and honeydews give a fragrant aroma from the stem area, which is a strong indicator it is ripe. You can, of course, save on prep time by using packaged chunks of melon available in the produce section of your supermarket.