Melons originally came from Africa and India, although it was the Greeks and especially the Roman Sybaritics who spread it around the empire. Originally it was a juicy but bland fruit that needed seasoning help from salt and pepper.�

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Kinds of melon
The first sweet melons came from Armenia and were grown by monks in Cantalupo, Italy. To this day there is a kind of melon with this name - cantaloup - known for its round shape, skin with green streaks and fragrant orange flesh. Similar in size and shape is the Galia melon, with yellowish-green skin featuring straw-colored grooves. Its flesh is sweet, white and strongly scented. In Spain the king of summer melons is the so-called toad-skin melon (piel de sapo), oval-shaped and with a rough, dark green skin. It is known for its juicy and tasty white flesh. There is also honeydoo melon, with golden skin and a strong aroma.

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Picking the right melon stills being a mystery. You have to pick hard and heavy�melons according to their size, and smell them. The stem should come off easily. But despite all these precautions, depends of Gods' will�getting a�sweet and juicy melon instead of a bland cucumber-like stuff. This is because harvesting the melon when it is ripe is critical. A melon that does not ripen on the vine will not do so after it is picked up. It needs sun light for its carbohydrates�turn into sugar.

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If the melon�you picked does not have�a good�taste, it is better to use it right away as a cold soup served with salt, serrano ham and a few drops of Port wine. Also, you can�serve it as a salad mixed with�avocado, apple and blue cheese, or use it as�garnish for any kind of smoked fish or seafood. Any of these will be a tasty�and refreshing starter. In any case, keep in mind that a touch of ground ginger, lemon or lime juice and sherry can boost its flavor.

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How to eat melon
When a melon is ready, the best is�eat it as is. �Wrap it with plastic�before�storage it in�the refrigerator because this fruit quickly absorbs smells from the food around it. Melon goes well with other kinds of fruit, sparkling wine and sweet wines. It also blends well with many different kinds of ice cream, and makes a refreshing crushed ice drink when mixed with lemon juice and honey or sugar.

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Melon also yields good preserves and marmelade, as long as you like them very sweet, and is an ingredient in many kinds of chutney, the bittersweet Indian preserve that goes so well with cold meat.

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Melon is rich in water and low in calories, so it is good for people on diets. Dried melon seeds are a delicious snack popular in Asian countries.