These local, organic Lambkin melons are a Piel de Sapo variety with smooth, mottled green and gold skin and pale green flesh, a little softer and sweeter than a standard honeydew. Piel de Sapo means "skin of the toad" in Spanish, a nod to the melon's blotchy rind, and the type is also called Christmas melon or Santa Claus melon for its unusually long shelf life. Because the tough rind holds in aroma and keeps the fruit attached to the vine even when ripe, it's typically judged ready by color, not smell, unlike cantaloupe. The flesh is aromatic and juicy with a small seed cavity, best eaten raw and chilled: sliced into wedges, cubed into a fruit salad, wrapped with prosciutto, or blended into an agua fresca with lime and mint. Pairs well with feta, cucumber, mint, and a squeeze of lime.
Rock Tavern, NY
Halal Pastures is a certified organic and halal farm based in Upstate NY, founded by husband-and-wife team Samer and Diane Saleh. They are dedicated to providing exceptional tasting organic vegetables and halal meats and meat products. Over a decade ago, a single article about Egypt rejecting genetically modified corn sparked their journey. At the time, the only food label they paid attention to was “halal”, but that moment led them to question how food is grown and what truly makes it pure.
Determined to feed their family food that was not only halal but tayyab (pure), the Salehs began growing it themselves. What started as a personal mission soon grew into Halal Pastures, a farm rooted in the values of health, ethics, and transparency.
Today, Halal Pastures cultivates thousands of vegetable varieties using regenerative practices that foster biodiversity and enrich the soil. The farm never uses chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or genetically modified seeds. Instead, they focus on nourishing the land and growing clean, flavorful produce that reflects the care behind every step of the process.
With a deep commitment to transparency and traceability, the Salehs remain hands-on in every part of the farm’s operations.