Cantaloupe Melon (Musk): variety description, types and features with photo

Often, gardeners have to hear on TV or from other people about what Cantaloupe melon is. Few people delve into the conversations about this fruit and do not know what benefits melon represents for the body. Berries belong to varieties of pumpkin fruits. The shape resembles the usual melons, but differ in taste and color.

Another name for the fruit is Cantaloupe. In the country it is better known by the second name. It has a strong aroma and sweet taste. In appearance, the plant seems round, but the melon is flattened on both sides. Individual berries are oval in shape.

Cantaloupe color has yellow and orange hues. The culture is covered with dark green leaves. When cut, a lot of juice is released. The melon is quite thick-walled, and the flesh has a rich orange color.

A little description

Cantaloupe pulp is covered with a dense peel. The color of the skin is yellow-green. If you look closely at it, you can see numerous stripes. At first glance, it may seem that Muscat white melon is in front of a person, but this is not so. Cantaloupe is distinguished by the presence of rich green stripes that cover it in length

The average length of one melon can reach 22 cm. Guinea and India are considered the birthplace of the fruit.

Pros and cons of fruit

Nutmeg is the ancestor of all melon varieties grown in Europe. It has "family" ties with Central Asian cultures. Among the positive points are:

1. The plant easily tolerates the summer season, the climate of which is humid and not very warm.
2. The retina on the peel is rough in structure. This prevents the fruits from cracking, which is typical for fruits that have juicy pulp and excess moisture.
3. Cantaloupe will ripen several times faster than most Asian varieties.
4. It has a rich melon taste.

Another important plus of the culture is resistance to many diseases. First of all, we are talking about powdery mildew. Unfortunately, during the rainy season, this is inherent in all melon crops. Despite this fact, Cantaloupe is rarely affected by pests.

Flaws

Melon variety has minor minor flaws. All of them do not stand out against the background of what is really important - a short shelf life.Because of this, the fruit is recommended to be eaten in the first month after harvest. If the period is extended, the melon will lose its attractive appearance. In addition, its amazing sweet taste is lost.

Melons and gourds do not need special care. Cantaloupe is a melon that has a mid-season ripening period. As mentioned above, not suitable for long-term storage. Despite this fact, it can be transported over long distances.

Another great-tasting fruit

Charente melon is a special variety of Cantaloupe. Known all over the world. The fruits are small in appearance. On the scales shows from 500 g to 1 kg. The characteristics of the fruit resemble other melons. At the same time, it has a peculiar feature - a spicy taste and a stable aroma.

Charente is grown exclusively in France. For normal growth, development and fruiting of the culture, the conditions of protected ground are chosen. It is almost never eaten on its own. Many cooks use it as an additional ingredient in cooking.

Useful components of melon

Few people know that Cantaloupe has medicinal powers. After all, it is valued not only for its unusual sweet taste. The composition of Cantaloupe makes it different from other melon varieties. Has the following components:

• inosine and carotene;
• ascorbic acid;
• silicon;
• fiber.

The content of sucrose inside the pulp is several times higher than the sugar level in watermelons. Most of all contains sucrose and carotene. It also contains iron. Its amount is 2 times higher than that in chicken meat. Many times higher than the iron content in milk.

Of the positive aspects, one can also highlight the presence of vitamin C. Its amount is large. The component level can be compared as follows. One Cantaloupe is equal in vitamin C content to three large and ripe watermelons.

Medicinal properties

Eating a melon vegetable is good for people who are obese. Melon is indicated for people with high cholesterol. Enriches the human body with vitamins if it has increased hair loss. Inosine is a component that prevents the progression of such diseases.

Potassium in melon prevents hypertension from developing. That is why Cantaloupe is so useful. Despite the sweet taste, the fruit has a low calorie content. The fruit is great for people who are on a diet and are limited in the use of many products.

Cooking with Cantaloupe

The pronounced taste of the fruit suggests fresh consumption. Due to the high content of juice in the pulp, it prevents the loss of moisture in the heat. Melon cannot be enjoyed for a long time.Unfortunately, the longer it is stored, the faster it loses its taste.

This problem is easy to solve. To constantly feast on melon, you can make jam or jam. In the future, the mass is eaten on its own or used as a filling for pies. Melons are also dried and eaten as candied fruit.

Cantaloupe produces wonderful honey, which is called bekmes. Seeds are used as a raw material for the preparation of vegetable oil. It comes out fragrant.

Dried fruit slices contain a minimal amount of moisture. Losing liquid, they retain the content of sucrose, which is 70% of the entire product. Depending on the drying time, the moisture content does not exceed 15%. Ready-made dried fruits are light yellow and brown in color. There are few dark spots; dried slices make up no more than 6% of the entire area of the finished product.

White melon

Casaba is another melon variety that has its own characteristics. It is also a nutmeg. Unlike Cantaloupe, it has rich white flesh. If all storage conditions are provided, it can stand until the winter. The peculiarity of Kasaba is that keeping quality improves the taste of fruits.

Casaba perfectly tolerates transportation over long distances. A variety cannot replace Cantaloupe and vice versa. Everyone loves both fruits equally. There are times when you want a fresh Casaba in the middle of autumn. Others prefer to enjoy Cantaloupe as a dried fruit. In any case, each variety deserves special attention.

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