Melon

MELONS ORIGINATED IN AFRICA, and Egyptian hieroglyphics featuring melons date back to as far as 2400 BC.  It was seen as a source of portable water.

The cantaloupe is named for a village in southern France. True cantaloupe is a European melon that is rarely exported to the US.  American “cantaloupes” are a type of muskmelon.

During the Civil War, Confederate soldiers boiled down watermelons to produce sugar and molasses.

Watermelon seeds can be roasted and eaten as a snack similar to sunflower seeds.

Watermelon was so revered by the Egyptians that they were often placed in the tombs of the kings.

To tell if a watermelon is ripe, look at its “ground spot”. It should be yellow, not white or green.

Share some of your melon trivia below…