Introduction:
Muskmelon/cantaloupe which is orange, sweet and juicy-looking fruit with a coarse and netted skin. The inner flesh is vibrant orange, tender and aromatic, the tissues ore laid back and the texture is creamy–almost gelatinous, succulent and tender to the taste. It is very rich in vitamin C and beta carotene which the body turns to vitamin A, it also contains potassium, a mineral found on blood pressure. Cantaloupe is 90% water and thus satisfies your thirst while being low in calorie content thus making it a good source of snacks. It is most commonly eaten fresh, and is often used in fruit salads, smoothies, or desserts and is said to complement other fruits and herbs. Cantaloupe is usually more abundant in the summer but fresh cantaloupes are offered all year round by most supermarkets. But the varieties like Gallia and honey dew have minor changes in the taste and texture, but they are more popular for its sweet taste.
Origen of cantaloupe:
Muskmelon, more commonly referred to as cantaloupe, has its roots in the Middle Eastern and South Asia regions and growers estimated it has been domesticated since 2000 BC. The wine was called Cantaloupe after the Italian town said to have been the home of the fruit in the popes’ gardens in the sixteenth century. Soon the cultivation of cantaloupe extended through the whole Europe and to the America where it gained a lot of popularity. Today it is produced in mild warm areas of the world such as in United States, Europe, and in some countries in Central and South America. Various sorts of cantaloupe have been cultivated ever in the past; however, several types of cantaloupe were developed in early civilizations in the Middle East.
Varieties of cantaloupe:
Cantaloupe is available in different horticultural varieties, which possess differential traits. Orange-fleshed cantaloupe is the most popular type, and this fruit has sweet juicy flavor and exterior with a rough and netted surface. Other examples are the Galea melon with green rind and mild to slightly acidic flavor and honeydew melons with pale green soft flesh and a quite tasty yet refreshing taste. There are also mini sizes, for instance, the Charentes melon, which has very sweet, juicy and firm texture fruit meat. Nevertheless, all the cantaloupe varieties are well-known as sweet, containing much water and ideal for fruit dressings, drinking, and any other fresh recipes. This means that people will be able to get different tastes of cantaloupe to suit their needs, be it for thirsty morning thirst, evening chills or continental breakfast.
Characteristics of cantaloupe:
Cantaloupe is a type of sweet melon and has a musky, sweetish taste and it has outer skin or Peel having a net like structure having a pale or Beige to pale orange color. Cantaloupe has fragrant, tender, and moist pale orange colored inner flesh that is nearly creamy in texture and dissolves in the mouth. It is also for this reason that it is always recommended for people to take it when the weather is hot since it contains a lot of water. The texture is soft, the taste is sweet with a slightly sour nutty taste depending on the ripen of the fruit, and these add Spiel to the mouth depending on the ripen it bursts in the mouth. Cantaloupe is also very low in calories and so is perfect for the diet and the vitamin profile of cantaloupe is high in Vitamin C and beta carotene essential for immune system and skin. There are also minerals in cantaloupe, in particular potassium which regulates the heartbeat, supports a healthy heart, and keeps the body hydrated. The fruit is usually round or slightly oblong, its outer skin is thin and orange pulp has a main core lined with small round seeds. Cantaloupe is used fresh in the kitchen, added to fruit salads, used in a milkshake, or served with natural slices. It goes well with almost any other fruit and can also be eaten in savory foods, making it a preferred candidate for both sweet and bitter recipes.
Health benefit of cantaloupe:
Cantaloupe can be easily described as sweet and juicy melon with rough and netted skin with pale beige/pale orange hue. The interior part of the cantaloupe is bright orange, succulent, and has an irresistible honey smell, the pulp is tender and has a tiny grainy feeling to the tongue. One of the health benefits of the fruit is its water content which makes is very suitable to be eaten in case of hot weather. Taste wise, it is sweet and get slightly sour based on how ripe it is that gives a blast of the flavor in the mouth. It is also a low calorie fruit since it is health wise good for snacking, and is fortified with vitamin C and beta-carotene that play essential roles in the immune system and skin respectively. The last is potassium which is also a major mineral responsible for health of the heart and general body hydration. The fruit is commonly perforated and glabrous, globular, ovoid or sub globose with an orange mesocarp containing large, lobules bearing several small round seeds. It is also a very useful fruit in the kitchen, where it can be eaten fresh in fruit salads, or in smoothen, or in natural slices. Along with other fruits, it used in savory dishes too, that is why people preferred to use this fruit in cooking.
Uses of cantaloupe:
Cantaloupe is healthy fruit . Most people, however, consume it while fresh in ring form or in slices, or as cubes, to be taken as a tasty snack or combined with other fruits in fruit salads. It is also used in smoothies and juices; the fruit has a high water content which makes it appropriate for a drink base, and given its sweetness, enhances the flavor of the drink. In sweet dishes, it is not preferred much but in savory dishes, it complements with prosciutto, feta cheese or mint well. This is also applied in such dishes as sorbets, ice creams and even in fruit tarts because it gives natural flavor to such products. It can even be added to salsas to provide a juicy contrast to hot elements while adding more to the dishes’ overall taste. Sometimes it is covered with vinegar and becomes a type of pickled food, or is included in jam, which led to different flavors added to meals prolonging the shelf life of the product. However, the seeds from cantaloupe can also be eaten; preferably after roasting them and consuming them as a snack. Due to versatility, cantaloupe serves more purposes as a desert fruit and also offers great potential for suitability in savory dishes; thus acclaimed among many people.
Drinks of cantaloupe:
Cantaloupe is used when making a number of chilled beverages as it has a rather sweet and juicy taste while being very watery. It is most often used in a smoothie form as it goes well with berries, bananas, or citrus fruits making the most refreshing, sweet, and refreshing natural juice. New and fresh juices can also be prepared from cantaloupe, perhaps with a twist of mint, lime or ginger amongst other ingredients. if you don’t mind a richer drink, it can be incorporated in to gourmet milkshakes or in yogurt based drinks. For a non- alcoholic preparation, it is used in cocktails but is more commonly mixed with carbonated water or soda to produce a lighter drink.
Dessert of cantaloupe:
Melon can be enjoyed in on most desserts, providing natural sweetness and cooling qualities therefore it easily complements other desserts. It can be served fresh, needed only to be sliced or cubed, and served with honey as a topping or a pinch of mint. Cantaloupe is also used in fruit salads due to its ability to mix in with other fruits such as pine apples, mango and berries’ this gives a blend of colors to the meals. It is commonly used in vivid sorbets or ice creams with the summertime and because the fruit is rather soft and velvety. It can also be used in tarts as part of fruits layers decoration over a nice cream layer in a pie; talion fruit tart. Moreover, it is added to puddings or parfaits or is combined with yogurt or whipped cream to complete a sweet meal. It is great when included in uncomplicated desserts or as the more exotic component in certain dishes, cantaloupe gives a very refreshing, light feel to any dessert.