History & Description:

Melons belong to the same family as cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, watermelons, and gourds. There are thousands of varieties of melons and they range in size from tiny to some that are big enough to produce a dozen servings. Melons are believed to have been discovered in the region stretching from Egypt to Iran, and over to northwest India. Melons were introduced to France in the 15th century, where they became a favourite of the Avignon popes.

Nutrition Highlights:

Melons contain a large amount of water and this makes them low in calories. Once cup of cut up melon typically has about 56 calories. The more orange or yellow-coloured the flesh, the more carotenes melons will contain. Melons are a good source of vitamin A because of their beta-carotene content (our body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A). Beta-carotene and vitamin A are important for healthy vision.

Choosing & Storing:

Choose melons that are heavy for their size and free of bruises. Looking at the navel—where the stem is attached—can help you detect mold. A melon’s ripeness can sometimes be detected by a delicate aroma, or by tapping it lightly for a hollow sound. Hard melons can be left to soften at room temperature for a couple of days. Store ripe melons in the refrigerator and, if cut, make sure they are tightly covered.

Tips for Preparing Melons:

Melons are often served for breakfast, as an appetizer, a dessert, or snack. While melons are a fruit, they are often used as a vegetable: you can use them in soups, chutneys or pickle them. Slice larger melons into serving-size portions, and smaller melons can be cut in half, and their pulp and seeds are scooped out before serving.

Summer Melons:

Cantaloupe:
Cantaloupes are round or oval in shape and usually have a ribless rind. They have a distinctive netted skin and are also referred to as a netted melon. They are orange-fleshed, and have a soft and juicy texture with a sweet aroma. Cantaloupe melons are also known as “rock melons”. In North America, the “cantaloupes” we sell are actually a variety of muskmelon.

Muskmelons:
These are round and sometimes ribless melons with a netted skin. The flesh of these melons is salmon or orange-yellow coloured. Their flesh is mild, sweet, and very juicy. .

Winter Melons:

Casaba melons:
Casaba melons are not as flavourful as other melons. Casabas are round or oval melons with a yellow or orange skin. The flesh is creamy white. They have a thick rind and a fairly long shelf life. To choose a ripe casaba look at the colour—it should be bright yellow—then check to see if the blossom end yields to gentle pressure.

Crenshaw Melon:
Crenshaws are round melons that are pointed at the stem end and have a smooth, dark green rind that turns golden when ripe. This is one of the sweetest varieties of melon available.

Honeydew Melons:
Honeydews are round to oval in shape and can weigh from 3 to 6 pounds. As they ripen, their flesh changes from pale green to yellowish, and the green-coloured pulp is very sweet. A ripe honeydew will yield just a bit to pressure at the blossom end and have a sticky, velvety rind.

Persian Melons:
Persian melons are large and round. They look like a large muskmelon and they have a dark green rind with a taupe coloured netting. Persian melons have a firm orange flesh and are excellent when vine-ripened, but mediocre when not. Avoid Persian melons that have green backgrounds below the netting because this means that they were picked too early. Avoid melons with protruding stems, or tears in the rind at the stem end. This is a sign that the melons were picked too soon. When ripe melons are picked, the stem falls off easily, leaving a small, clean depression.

Galia:
This melon is a cross between the honeydew and cantaloupe. It has a brownish skin and is sweet and juicy and has a light green flesh inside just like the colour of a honeydew melon. It is a round melon with a fine-netted pattern.

Persian:
Persian melons are large and round. They look like a large muskmelon and they have a dark green rind with a taupe coloured netting. Persian melons have a firm orange flesh and are excellent when vine-ripened. Avoid Persian melons that have green backgrounds below the netting, or melons with protruding stems or tears in the rind at the stem end—this may indicate the melon was picked too early.

Santa Clause:
Santa Claus melons are oblong and look like a watermelon, except for their yellow skin with black and green stripes. Santa Claus melons have a long shelf life—they can be store for up to two weeks—and their green flesh is similar to that of a honeydew. These melons have thick rinds and do not give off much of an aroma.

Canary:
Canary melons are oblong in shape and their skin is a smooth yellow. Their creamy white flesh tastes like cantaloupe.