| | Watermelon - The Fruit of Summer | | | | | Is there ANY fruit more associated with summer than the Watermelon??
Probably not, for the mental image of watermelon wedges piled high on a large platter in the middle of a red and white checker table cloth are the memories of summer in just about everyone’s past.
Here in Michigan, this literally mouth-watering fruit makes its welcome appearance from late spring through late fall at just about every backyard picnic, barbecue, grill-fest or anywhere casual parties and get-together’s happen.
As refreshing as ice tea and lemonade, this versatile fruit is as much salad as dessert and equally as enjoyed. The only decision to make is what kind and how much to buy?
One place to start is Melon Mania, Nino’s own guide to all sorts of melon varieties including 5 delicious melon recipes!
The Watermelon, as we usually think of it, came into its own as a “market staple” about 375 years ago. Since then, the evolution of this picnic favorite has brought us the seedless melon in 1988 and, more recently, the Mini Watermelon!
The Mini Watermelon, developed, then first introduced in 2003 in Five Points, California and weighs in at just 3 to 7 pounds. The Mini’s manageable size, thin skin and sweet, delectable flavor make it perfect for small families and single consumers. The most common varieties include: Liliput, Extazy, Wander, Mielhart, Polimor, Petite Perfection and the 5116.
High in lycopene and beta-carotene (an antioxidant, shown to reduce the risk of cancer & heart attacks), it is as nutritious as it is delicious! Never tried one?? They’re just as delicious as the big ones but more “personal sized”. And great in salads too, like our: Mediterranean Mini Watermelon Salad.
Watermelon is thought to have originated in southern Africa, where it is found growing wild. By the 10th century AD, watermelons were being cultivated in China, which, by the way, is now the world's single largest watermelon producer. Watermelon were then introduced to Native Americans in the 16th century and were seen being cultivated in the Mississippi Valley shortly thereafter.
Today, farmers grow commercial crops of watermelon in approximately 44 states with Georgia, Florida, Texas, California and Arizona being the USA's largest watermelon producers.
A watermelon contains about 6% sugar and 92% water by weight. As with many other fruits, it’s a very good source of vitamin C and the red flesh has a significant source of Lycopene. The rinds are also edible and contain many hidden nutrients. Unfortunately, most people avoid eating the rind due to its unappealing flavor but they are sometimes used as a vegetable where they are stir-fried, stewed or more even pickled. Watermelon juice can also be made into wine.
There are more than a thousand varieties of watermelon ranging in size from less than a pound, to more than two hundred pounds, with flesh that is red, orange, yellow or white. Several notable and or interesting varieties are:
Carolina Cross: This variety of watermelon produced the current world record watermelon weighing 262 pounds. It has green skin, red flesh and commonly produces fruit between 65 and 150 pounds.
Yellow Crimson Watermelon: This variety of watermelon has a yellow colored flesh and has been described as "sweeter" and more "honey" flavored than the more popular red flesh watermelon.
Orangeglo: This variety has a very sweet orange pulp, and is a large oblong fruit weighing 20 to 30 pounds. It has a light green rind with jagged dark green stripes.
Moon and Stars: This variety of watermelon has been around since 1926. The rind is purple/black and has many small yellow circles (stars) and one or two large yellow circles (moon). The melon weighs between 20–50 pounds. The flesh is pink or red and has brown seeds. The foliage is also spotted.
Cream of Saskatchewan: This variety consists of small round fruits, around 10 inches in diameter. It has a quite thin, light green with dark green striped rind, with sweet white flesh and black seeds. It can grow well in cool climates. It was originally brought to Saskatchewan, Canada by Russian immigrants.
Melitopolski: This variety has small round fruits roughly 11–12 inches in diameter. It is an early ripening variety that originated from the Volga River region of Russia, an area known for cultivation of watermelons. The Melitopolski watermelons are seen piled high by vendors in Moscow in summer.
Densuke Watermelon: This variety has round fruit up to 25 lbs. The rind is black with no stripes or spots. It is only grown on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, where up to 10,000 watermelons are produced every year. In June 2008, one of the first harvested watermelons was sold at an auction for 6300 USD, making the most expensive watermelon ever sold. (The average selling price is generally around 250 USD.)
Whatever melon you choose or however you enjoy it, we hope that you’ll stop by Nino’s and pick out your favorite and enjoy. |
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Recipes & More 