Can you guess where the watermelon originated? Watermelon originated in the Kalahari Desert in Africa. The first watermelon was in Egypt 5,000 years ago. The harvests are depicted in hieroglyphics on ancient Egyptian walls. Watermelon seeds were recovered from the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen. The watermelon spread along the Mediterranean basin countries by way of merchant trading ships.
In the 10 th century AD watermelon travelled to China . Currently, China is the world's number one producer of watermelon. In the 13 th century Moorish invader introduced the fruit to Europe . According to John Mariani's The Dictionary of American Food and Drink "watermelon" appeared in the English dictionary in 1615. Watermelon rinds are edible. In China rinds are stir fried, stewed or pickled. Pickled rinds are also consumed in the Southern parts of America , Russia , Romania and Ukraine .
Food historian, John Egerton states in his book, "Southern Food" that he believes African slaves brought the watermelon seed to America . The United States is the world's fourth producer of watermelon. Watermelon can be found year around because of the number of countries that import and export the fruit.
Nutrition:
Contains 6% sugar and 92% water. It is a source of vitamin C, beta carotene and lycopene. Fresh watermelon can be eaten in a number of ways. It can be eaten alone, in salads, jams, jellies and to flavor summer drinks and smoothies.
Pickled Watermelon Rind
1 large Watermelon rind
1 qt Water
1/4 c Kosher salt
1 qt Cider vinegar
8 c Sugar
8 Whole cinnamon sticks -- Broken up
1 tb Whole cloves
1 tb Allspice berries
Peel and remove all green and pink portions from rind. Cut into 1 inch cubes and soak in salt water overnight. Drain and cover with fresh water. Cook until almost tender. Drain. Make a syrup of vinegar and sugar. Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag and add to syrup. Boil 15 minutes, then let stand 15 minutes. Remove spice bag. Add drained watermelon rind. Cook until clear. Pack into sterile jars and seal according to manufacturer's instructions. Makes 6 pints, about 96 two-tablespoon servings.
Provided by: Just Fruits Recipes
Watermelon Rind Preserves
1 Watermelon
1 qt Water
1 tb Lime
1 qt Water
2 c Sugar
1/2 Sliced lemon
2 Sticks ginger
Pare green and pink from inch cubes of 1 melon. Soak overnight in 1 quart water and 1 tbsp lime Rinse well. Boil cubes in clear water for 15 minutes. Drain. Boil 1 quart water, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 sliced lemon, 2 sticks ginger, for 5 minutes. Add rind and cook until clear. Let stand overnight. Repeat, and seal in sterilized jars.
Provided by: Just Fruits Recipes
Minted Melon Salad
1 c Water
3/4 c Sugar
3 tb Lime juice
1 1/2 ts Fresh mint; chopped
3/4 ts Aniseed
pn Salt
5 c Watermelon; cubed
3 c Cantaloupe; cubed
3 c Honeydew melon; cubed
2 c Peach slices
1 c Fresh blueberries
In a small saucepan, bring the first six ingredients to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes; remove from the heat. Cover and cool syrup completely. Combine the fruit in a large bowl; add syrup and stir to coat. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Drain before serving.
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