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| Merchant's Wife (by Boris Kustodiev) |
Watermelon (actually one big “pepo” berry) most likely originated in Africa.
Wikipedia explains that the Pharoah Tutankhamun was buried with some watermelon seeds for his afterlife journey, and the Bible mentions that the Israelites munched on the juicy innards while enslaved in Egypt.
By the 10th century, these fetching berries had made their way to China, a country which “is today the world’s single largest watermelon producer.”
Moorish invaders introduced this fruit to Europe in the 13th century; Europeans introduced it to North America in the 17th
century. African
slaves also spread its popularity throughout the world.
Today watermelons can be routinely found in supermarkets.
Piled on high within bins, they look especially enticing on hot sunny days. Nevertheless,
some end up tasting more like crunchy water than like manna
from heaven.
How to avoid this fate worse than warm soda? MSN Living offers these juicy tips for picking just the right watermelon: go for the heavier ones – they are usually the ripest; look for a creamy yellow spot where the watermelon had rested on the ground; and listen for a hollow sound while tapping it.
Resources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watermelon
http://living.msn.com/food-drink/cooking-tips/your-guide-to-picking-the-best-watermelon
Copyright August 17, 2014 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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