Exotic Fruit Salad

Rockmelon, strawberries, passionfruit, bananas.

Method: Cut rockmelon in half and scoop out the fruit into round balls. Prepare and hull strawberries. Combine rockmelon, strawberries and passionfruit into a bowl. Refrigerate. Before serving, add bananas. Serve with cream and ice cream.

Source: contributed by Chris Hough in Angaston Kindergarten Jubilee Cookery Book 1955-1985. 1986 edition (Angaston, 1986), p.36.

Cantaloupe Balls

1 large cantaloupe

2 tablespoons sweet sherry

2 tablespoons castor sugar

green sugar

mint

Method: Using small end of a baller, prepare cantaloupe. Place in airtight jar with sherry and castor sugar. Chill in refrigerator and serve in cocktail glasses which have been frosted around the edge, with green sugar. Garnish with sprig of mint.

Source: contributed by P. Spiers in Flinders Favourites: Hawker Centenary Recipe Book (Hawker, 1996 [6th edition]).

Ayr Melon

Carefully peel a cantaloupe or rock melon. Cut off the top and scoop out the seeds. Fill the cavity with a raspberry jelly and replace the top. When the jelly has set, coat the whole melon with fresh cream cheese forked up to look like frosted icing - add whipped cream to make the cheese softer and easier to spread. Slice to serve.

Source: Recipes tested by time... Centenary Cookery Book from 1840 (The Historical Society of Woodville, 1980), p.42.

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Edit 27/4/2014: I made this, but decided to go for more colour than white frosting. So, giant melon mock strawberry!

Rockmelon and Grape Salad

2 cups rockmelon balls
1&1/2 cups sultana grapes
1 pkt. (30 oz.) cream cheese
1/4 cup salad dressing or mayonnaise
Lettuce

Method: Combined melon balls and grapes. Chill. Mash cream cheese, blend in mayonnaise or salad dressing. Combined with fruit. Serve on lettuce leaves.

Source: Mantle of Safety Cookbook 2 (The Port Augusta Women's Air Branch Auxillary [sic] of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia; n.d., after 1987), p.61.