Other Names Cucamelons are grape-sized fruits that look like Lilliputian watermelons but taste like cucumbers. They are native to Mexico and Central America, where they go by nicknames such as sandita (“little watermelon”) or sandía ratón (“mouse melon”).
What are mini melons called?
For a melon the size of a grape, this fruit sure has a lot of names: Mouse melon, cucamelon, Mexican sour gherkin, Mexican miniature watermelon, cuka-nut, and sandíita (Spanish for ‘little watermelon’).
What are mini cantaloupes called?
The Sprite melon’s name says it all. Its honeydew fruits are small, just about 4 inches across, and weigh about a pound. But while they look tiny when compared to other melons, these small melons pack huge flavor into their petite packages. The vines are also prolific, producing several fruits per vine.
What is a small fruit that looks like a watermelon?
Cross a cucumber and a watermelon and what do you get? Probably nothing in real life but the small cucurbit Melothria scabra fits that bill. This herbaceous climber in the cucumber family (Cucurbitaceae) is grown for its tiny edible fruit that looks just like a miniature striped watermelon.
What vegetable looks like a tiny watermelon?
Also known as Mexican gherkins, the fruit of Melothria scabra looks like watermelons shrunk for a dollhouse tea party. Each is the size of a grape, speckled white with green striations. Raw, the mouse melons have the taste and crunch of a fresh cucumber but with a burst of bright sour lemon from the skin.
How do you eat cucamelon?
How to Eat Cucamelons
- Eat them fresh from the garden. No need to remove the peel.
- Pickle them. Eat on their own or add to sandwiches and wraps.
- Use a whole one as an unexpected garnish in your favorite cocktail or lemonade.
- Chop them up and add to salsas and salads for a bright flavor.
- Cook them in a stir-fry.
Is Sugar Kiss melon a cantaloupe?
Description. Sugar Kiss melons pack a mouthful of flavor, as it is one of the sweetest cantaloupe variations in North America. Eat the melon fresh, in a mixed fruit salad or as a juice.
What are the types of melons?
- Watermelon. Scientific name: Citrullus lanatus.
- Cantaloupe. Scientific name: Cucumis melo var.
- Honeydew. Scientific name: Cucumis melo L. (
- Winter Melon (or Ash Gourd) Scientific name: Benincasa hispida.
- Casaba Melon (or Golden Beauty) Scientific name: Cucumis melo var.
- Persian Melon.
- Galia Melon.
- Snap Melon.
Are mini melons sweet?
Mini watermelons are about the size of a cantaloupe or smaller. They’re sweet, crisp and very juicy.
What is a cucamelon taste like?
1. What is a cucamelon? According to the Huffington Post, the cucamelon is a fruit that looks like a tiny watermelon but tastes more like a lime-dipped cucumber. It’s also known as Mexican sour gherkin, Mexican miniature watermelon, Mexican sour cucumber and mouse melon, BuzzFeed reports.
What is a Mexican melon?
Agua de Melon or “melon water” is one of the many delicious aguas frescas served throughout Mexico. It’s a simple blend of ripe cantaloupe, or the melon of your choice, water, and sugar served chilled. Aguas frescas are delicious, healthier alternatives to sodas.
What looks like half a watermelon?
Enter the cucamelon: an adorable fruit that looks like a mini watermelon. About the size of a grape, a cucamelon is a mix between a cucumber and a watermelon that tastes citrusy, and is native to Mexico and Central America.
How much do cucamelons cost?
Very rarely, you might find cucamelons at the farmers’ market, but they can fetch up to $20 a pound! The price alone makes it worth growing cucamelons for yourself. They’re an easy crop; the vines are very productive, and they’re rarely troubled by the many insects and diseases that plague cucumbers.
What can you do with cucamelons?
With their sour flavor, cucamelons can be great additions to salsas, salads and cocktails. To use in salsas, we recommend adding them to our Chunky Tomato Salsa, swapping out standard cucumbers for cucamelons in our Savory Strawberry Salsa, or using them in the delicious fruity-meets-spicy Sonoma Harvest Salsa.
Do you have to peel a cucamelon?
They instead have the flavor of a lime-soaked cucumber, making them great for pickling and adding to your favorite cocktail. However, unlike cukes, cucamelons don’t need to be peeled, AND you can eat them whole, making them the perfect little treat picked fresh off the vine (no hacks nessecary).
Is cucamelon toxic?
Overview. While there has research has been done on the suitability of feeding cucamelons to dogs; they are not known to be toxic to canines. Cucamelons contain powerful antioxidants, beta-carotene, and lycopene. They are also packed with other nutrients, including vitamins C, E, K, and potassium.
Can you eat the skin of a cucamelon?
Cucamelons themselves are eaten in their entirety, including the seeds and the thin skins.
Can I eat a whole mini watermelon?
The rind is kind of good for you
Most of us eat the red flesh and throw out the rest, but it turns out the whole watermelon is good for you! Live Science reports that all parts of the watermelon can be eaten, including the rind.
How do you know when a mini watermelon is ripe?
Do a thump test. A ripe watermelon should have a deep hollow sound when you thump the rind with your hand, similar to a knock on the door. An unripe melon will have a more high-pitched resonance, whereas an overripe melon will sound more like a thud.
What is a cross between a cantaloupe and honeydew?
Galia. A cross between a honeydew and a cantaloupe, a Galia melon’s rind is netted like a cantaloupe, but the smooth lime-green flesh is like a honeydew. Unlike many other melons, the tenderness of the stem end is not a good indicator of ripeness.
Why are sugar Kiss melons so sweet?
There are more than 100 different Hami melon varieties on display and available for tasting at no cost. The sugar kiss melon got its name because it is so sweet and also because of the way sugar melts on your tongue, which you get a similar feeling when you eat this melon.
Justin Shelton is a professional cook. He’s been in the industry for over 10 years, and he loves nothing more than creating delicious dishes for others to enjoy. Justin has worked in some of the best kitchens in the country, and he’s always looking for new challenges and ways to improve his craft. When he’s not cooking, Justin enjoys spending time with his wife and son. He loves exploring new restaurants and trying out different cuisines.