What do you go when the kitchen garden produces a mini mountain of produce? A preserve is my go to. Grapes and cucamelons make a delicious rich chutney that smells and tastes like heaven.

At first glance, the cucamelon looks like a modern novelty destined for Instagram fame — a miniature watermelon, the size of a grape, with a cucumber-like cross section, satisfying big crunch and a cucumber taste with a hint of tangy lime.

These tiny fruits (Melothria scabra) are no modern hybrid at all, but heirs to a heritage that stretches back centuries to the heart of Central America.