Recipes
To celebrate the opening of the Good Life Garden we have organized a collection of special recipes for the perfect autumn menu.
melon
Cucumis melo
summer
In Our Garden
With the exception of watermelon, melons are fruits of Cucumis melo, a close relative of the cucumber.
The most common types of western melons fall into two families: summer melons which are very aromatic with rough rinds like cantaloupes, or winter melons which usually have smooth or wrinkled rinds like casabas and honeydews.
Arava
Arava Melon
Cucumis melo
2 - 3 lb fruit
Tender Annual
An outstanding main season Galia melon with uniform high quality, blemish-free melons. The flesh is exceptionally sweet.
In History
The sweet melons familiar to us today were unknown in ancient times; similar fruits were grown but they were more similar to the cucumber. The first reference to truly sweet and aromatic melons was not until the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries as a result of hybridization.
Cultivation
Growing Tips:
Melons do well planted with sweet corn or sunflowers as they enjoy the partial shade provided by the foliage.
Why It's Good for You
In a mere 56 calories per cup, melons supply a whopping 100% of vitamin A needs as beta carotene and over 100% of vitamin C needs as well. Both these nutrients help ward off various age-related diseases, such as cancer and may also help boost skin health.
Did You Know
Melons accumulate a great deal of calcium in their leaves which makes them especially useful for worm compost.
Let's Eat
How to Prepare:
You should wash melons thoroughly with warm soapy water before preparing them because microbes that linger on the surface may cause food poisoning upon introduction to the fruits’ flesh.
Once the melons are ripe and aromatic, chill the flesh before eating to firm it, and then remove it from the refrigerator shortly before serving to allow the perfume to fully emerge.
