Spicy Fruit Salsa

By now, salsa is no stranger to the American palate and has become every cook’s friend. They are like the perfect scarf or golf ball. You can’t have too many. The ingredients are fresh and easy to prepare. It is a perfect, make-ahead, have on hand condiment. The only surprise is the mix of flavors and here they are all smooth as silk, melon, mango, and avocado. But just so you don’t glaze off into salsa paradise at the first bite, up comes a sassy jolt of chile to wake up your taste buds. Serve with oven-baked chips, spoon it into a bowl for an afternoon pick-me-up, or use it as a sauce for fish, poultry, or these terrific crab tortillas. Too good to be true.

• 1 mango, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 cup finely chopped honeydew melon
• 1 small red pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium, ripe avocado, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup fresh scallions, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, more if desired
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 serrano chile, seeded and minced, more or less as desired
• Juice of 1 or 2 limes
• Salt and pepper to taste