The watermelon ? Origin, maturity & storage

Whether the currently circulating Chuck Norris jokes will eventually gain the cult status of Fritzchen or Ostfriesen jokes is uncertain, but: There are among the innumerable of admittedly rather flat superhero-Kalauer some real pearls. For example, this humorous gem: Chuck Norris loves to eat melon yoghurt? with whole fruits. Personally, I have never eaten melon yogurt, but I can imagine the combination quite delicious. But to the taste aspect of the impressive fruit (of the vegetables? The berry?) Later more, we first devote ourselves to the hard facts that are known about the already visually impressive heavyweight. I mean, of course, facts about the melon and not about Chuck Norris.

The botany

Although the melon is counted by most people to the fruits is from a botanical point of view, a fruit vegetable from the family of the Cucurbitaceae (Cucurbitaceae). A distinction is usually made between watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) and sugar melons (Cucurbita melo), which in botany are not considered kinship groups. So the sugar melon is more closely related to the cucumber than to the watermelon. From its original home in the drylands of southern and central Africa, the melon spread first in the warm regions of Western Europe and then made the leap across the Atlantic from America to America. Today, China is one of the largest growing areas in the world, accounting for around 70 percent of total production. In Germany, the cultivation of melons is only possible in regions with a particularly mild climate, for example in the Palatinate or in the southern Rhine Valley.

Watermelon knowledge

Your name suggests it already: The fruit flesh of the watermelon has a water content of up to 95 percent and is therefore particularly popular as a summer thirst quencher. The bright red coloring owes the pulp to the carotenoid lycopene, which supposedly also has a positive effect on the immune system in addition to its strong coloring power. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest watermelon ever weighed a whopping 122 kilograms and was harvested in 2006 in America. But also the smaller ones? Specimens that find their way into the local retail trade weigh between two and five kilos. Fortunately, little of it ends up on the hips when consumed? 100 grams of watermelon contain just 30 calories. Most of the varieties bred today (there are about 150 different) are "low in nuclear", with the very high content of "good" ones being there. Proteins and fats particularly valuable from the point of view of nutritionists. Tip: roasted and slightly salted melon kernels in the pan are a great and healthy crunchy topping for summer salads.


Mature or not?

And now to the melon issue number one: How do I recognize in the store if a watermelon is immature, mature or already overripe? The color of the skin and the smell of the (not sliced) watermelon can not be traced to the degree of ripeness. Nevertheless, you do not have to buy the cat in the bag, or the melon in the bowl: With a simple knock test, the degree of maturity can be quickly determined. A ripe melon creates a hollow, dull sound when you tap it with your knuckle. A lighter (almost metallic) sound indicates an overripe fruit, while a very soft or totally absent note marks an immature melon. Since a whole melon is usually too much for our two-person household, I already buy cut melons from the Turkish greengrocer I trust. Conveniently, the friendly dealer offers his customers a tray with tasting bits, as a bad buy is actually excluded. If I buy a halved or quartered melon in the supermarket (where you can not taste it), a rich red or pink color is a good indication of freshness and the right level of ripeness. Mild pulp or brownish muddy discoloration is a sign of overripe or already fermented fruits? then it's fingers off.

The storage

Since the fruits hardly ripen, an uncut melon can be stored in the refrigerator for two to three weeks (sufficient space is required). If melons have already been cut, the cut surface should be covered with cling film. The durability shortens here for two to three days. Frozen melon pieces will become soggy when thawed, so this storage method is only recommended for later use in smoothies or desserts.

The slicing

Actually, it takes no more than a sturdy chopping board and a big enough knife to cut the mega fruit into slices, pens or cubes. But of course there are also countless tips and lifehacks on the internet. A particularly successful YouTube video on the subject can be found at the following link: Cut watermelon properly

If you like my post and you also like to read something about the very delicious sugar melons, let me know in the comments? The melon season has just begun. Good Appetite!

Art Combe's Ancient Watermelon | March 2024