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MELONS

There are several types of melon but they are broadly grouped into three categories basedon their firmness and colour.

Musk or netted melons (network pattern on the skin): These melons have yellowishgreen colour flesh.

Winter melons (smooth skinned): The flesh of winter melons is greenish in tinge andthe best-known types are Casaba and Honeydew.

Cantaloupe melons: The flesh of the cantaloupe is orange coloured. A new melon inthis category is the Ogen, which has greenish flesh.

Facts and history:Melons are widely available and grown in many parts of the world. In ancient Egypt,watermelons were traditionally offered to thirsty travellers, and they are still important todayin times of drought or water pollution.

Aromatic melon varieties were appreciated from early times in the Middle East. Melons arerelated to cucumbers, pumpkin, squash, and gourds, growing as they all do on long trailingvines.

Usage:Melon is eaten in its natural state either at the beginning of a meal as a hors doeuvre or atthe end as a dessert. It should be served chilled and is often seasoned with ginger. Largermelons are sliced in serving-size portions and smaller melons are typically cut in half and thepulp and seeds are scooped out before serving. Depending on their size, melons can beserved in their skins, halved or cut in wedges, or peeled for used in salads or appetizers. Theflesh can also be cut into cubes or scooped into balls with a melon-baller.

Types of Melon:Watermelon: This large melon has water content of up to 95 percent and is a popularsummer treat. It is eaten sliced or cut into fruit salad or enjoyed in the form of a juice. It wearsa green rind (some varieties have pale green stripes), with red or pink flesh, and can befound in a round, oval, or oblong shape, with seeds and seedless.

Cantaloupe: Known as Charentais in France, cantaloupes have orange flesh and a

distinctive taupe, rough-surfaced rind, sometimes with green stripes.

Muskmelon: Muskmelons are round, with orange flesh and beige netted skin. Several

hybrid varieties exist that combine desirable characteristics of the muskmelon and

cantaloupe.

Honeydew: These melons have a smooth, pale-green to creamy yellow skin with sweet,pale-green flesh.

Casaba: Casabas are round or oval melons with yellow or orange skin that is green at the

ends. The flesh is creamy white.

Ogen: This is a small round hybrid melon. It usually has green to yellow skin with juicy pink

or light green flesh.

The book of Ingredients: Pages 110-112 and 252