Liberace’s 2-Ingredient Melon and Prosciutto Appetizer

There’s something fun about knowing your favorite celebrity’s most-loved recipe, from Valerie Bertinelli’s favorite four-ingredient meal to Jeff Goldblum’s go-to sandwich. In fact, we recently came across an old Reddit post that proves the thrill of learning what the stars eat has been around for decades. 

In the r/oldrecipes subreddit, a user uploaded letters that were received in 1982 by the then-president of the Friends of Hurst Public Library in Hurst, Texas. As part of a fundraiser for the library, Ann Luddington reached out to celebs like Stephen King and Elizabeth Taylor asking for their favorite recipes and got some pretty amazing responses.

Among them, a perfect-for-summer appetizer from famed pianist Wladziu Valentino Liberace—Liberace for short. 

Liberace’s go-to two-ingredient appetizer? Prosciutto and melon with a dash of ground pepper—a light and refreshing combo that’s perfect for snacking on hot summer days.

“Cut the melon in half, cut off the rind, and slice the melon in crescent-shape strips,” Liberace wrote in his letter containing the recipe. “Alternate slices of melon and ham on chilled plates. Sprinkle with a little pepper.”

Sounds simple enough, but Liberace goes as far as to add some further suggestions to make the dish feel fancier. “If you prefer, cut each melon into six pieces,” he wrote. “Leave the skin on and make diagonal slits in the flesh. Place small roll-ups of prosciutto in the slits and sprinkle with the pepper.”

The toughest part of making Liberace’s two-ingredient appetizer just may be picking the best cantaloupe. Luckily, it isn’t as hard to pick a great cantaloupe from the produce aisle as you may think. For a fresh, delicious cantaloupe, make sure the stem end of the fruit smells sweet, but not overly sweet. If there’s no smell at all, the melon’s probably not ripe.

Also check the melon’s stem: A stem that looks like a belly button is perfect, but if there’s a longer piece of stem attached, the melon was probably removed from the vine too early. Ready-to-eat melons should also feel heavier than they look and have minimal soft spots. Cantaloupe is high in vitamin C and vitamin A, which means the fruit can help with things like immune health, eye health and iron absorption, so once you find the perfect melon, you can feel good about bringing it home to serve as an appetizer.

Always a showman, Liberace also shared a Yorkshire pudding recipe in his correspondence, and sent an autographed photo of himself. These recipes are a special treat for fans who can’t afford a copy of Liberace’s little-known cookbook Liberace Cooks!—secondhand copies of that set of recipes sell for well over $100 online.

Not a fan of cantaloupe? You can also try combos like Prosciutto-Wrapped Pineapple Bites or Apricot, Prosciutto & Parmesan Bites to wow your guests this summer.