Where is cantaloupe originally from

The best procedure for preparing cantaloupes involve disinfecting the exterior of the fruit with ethanol, but this approach is hardly ever used because of the risks of poisoning and the average person does not have ethanol in their homes. Cantaloupe is eaten fresh almost exclusively. Cantaloupes are also consumed in ice cream desserts.

A familiar form of modern antipasto is created by wrapping prosciutto in pieces of melons. This fruit is often consumed as a main course or as a dessert because of its sweet smelling and sugary interior. If not ripe when plucked, cantaloupes can be left in a warm room that is cool and dry until it ripens. Cantaloupes are often used in fruit salads, pureed and added to soups, sliced, and served in yogurt or eaten raw with lemon juice and honey.

The juice is sometimes mixed with water to make a variety of quite refreshing summer drinks. Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and folate are other names for the B complex vitamins found in cantaloupes.

They also contain potassium, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. Cantaloupes are also high in dietary fiber. See the following link for full details Cantaloupe Nutrition Facts. Cantaloupes are rich in polyphenol antioxidants. These are molecules that are known to improve the function of the immune and cardiovascular system 3. Polyphenols have also been shown to help control the regulation of nitric oxide, another important molecule that helps prevents heart attacks and strengthens healthy blood vessels 3.

Juicy cantaloupes supply the body with a large amount of beta-carotene and vitamin C 1 , 2. Most are harvested at half-slip, when the fruit has only partially pulled away from the stem and can continue to ripen during packing and shipping. These varieties are usually grown for local markets and do not ship long distances.

Cantaloupe can be directly seeded or transplanted. Either method requires wide rows and adequate spacing in between plants. Ideally, harvest should be from 2, to 5, cantaloupe per acre on bare ground and from 6, to 12, per acre on plastic mulch. Smaller varieties of less than 3 pounds each may yield as many as 20, per acre. Growing conditions should include full sun and well-drained, possibly sandy soil with a 5.

Constant moisture is needed throughout the season; drip irrigation is best as it produces less foliage and allows honeybees unrestricted access for pollination. Mulching is ideal to keep soil moisture levels constant and minimize disease. One honeybee colony placed either beside or within each acre is needed at early flowering, hives can be removed when fruit is set. Cantaloupes are a powerhouse of nutrients. They are an excellent source of vitamins A and C. However, they also contain beta carotenes, potassium, B-complex vitamins and manganese.

Moreover, they are very low in calories and practically devoid of fat. Cantaloupes are best enjoyed as is. But there are many other culinary possibilities. They are ideal for fruit salads. Cantaloupe can also be incorporated into jams and sorbets or served with ice cream. And of course, there is the iconic Italian appetizer of fresh melon and prosciutto.

Below is my recipe for chilled cantaloupe soup in a coconut and cream broth. Perfect for summer, use this recipe as a first course or a dessert. Adjust the sugar level to suit your taste. So, until Americans come up with a better name for our particular kind of cantaloupe, we're pretty much stuck with eating a kind of imposter.

A very delicious imposter. Extra Crispy Logo. By Kate Welsh Updated February 13, Save Pin FB More. Credit: Photo by Zen Rial via Getty images.