I believe that melons should always be eaten in the summer when they are at their peak flavor and texture and should not be flown in on a plane. That said, when the first imported Charentais melons start showing up in late spring, I quickly reassess my priorities, and today I enthusiastically bought one.

Many people believe that Charentais melons, which are also marketed as Cavaillons, are the gold standard of melons, with a superior taste, texture and fragrance that surpasses all others. I know this is a very lofty claim and I'm sure there are some less-than-stellar Charentais out there, but every Charentais I've ever eaten has been amazing. A perfectly ripe Charentais has velvety, fine-textured salmon flesh with an intense honey and flower-like taste. Its diminutive two-serving size makes it perfect for halving, removing the seeds and serving as an apéritif, filled with a port wine and maybe a few garden-fresh berries. In France, slices of the melon are often wrapped with prosciutto, and at Food Network.com, I just eat it straight up with a paring knife and lots of napkins.

Charentais can be difficult to find — their thin skin and high sugar content makes them challenging to ship. I'm sure the best place to eat a Charentais would be right out of a field in France (they're originally from the Poitou-Charentes region in western France). But for those of us in the U.S., keep an eye out for them at farm stands this summer or if you stumble upon an imported one in a good produce market, grab it. You won't be disappointed.