Produce recently spotted at The Market
Produce Briefs...
Roselle Flowers
Roselle may be used raw, dried or juiced. The fruit's tart flavor requires a sweetener of some kind, and it is successfully used like a cranberry in recipes for jam, jelly, chutney and even wine.
Barrel Cactus Fruit
The fruit of the Barrel cactus is best prepared in sweet applications, since its natural tartness lends itself well to a hint of sugar. Cook the fruit down with agave syrup to make a jam, jelly or a sweet and sour chutney.
Description/Taste
The Crenshaw melon, also spelled Cranshaw, very closely resembles its parent melon, the Casaba. Mostly spherical in shape, it has a somewhat flattened bottom and tapers to a gentle point at the stem-end. The hard rind is yellowish-green, and has a rough corrugated texture void of netting. Its dense yet tender peach-colored flesh is very sweet and slightly spicy. The melon's skin turns golden-yellow at the peak of ripeness and will have slightly waxy feel. Crenshaw melons are quite large, averaging 8 to 10 pounds in weight.
Seasons/Availability
Crenshaw melons are available in the summer.
Current Facts
Considered one of the sweetest varieties in the melon family, the Crenshaw is a hybrid cross between the Casaba melon and the Persian melon. There are two types of Crenshaw melons: green and white. The white variety is the most common as it is sunburn resistant. The Crenshaw is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family and a modern crossbreed of the inodorus group of melons. Melons in the inodorus group are generally larger melons, take longer to grow and have better shelf-lives than summer melon varieties. What they often lack compared to other melons is fragrance.
Nutritional Value
Crenshaw melons are an excellent source of vitamins A, B6 and C.
Applications
Crenshaw melons are similar to a cantaloupe in color and flavor and may be used similarly. They are often simply eaten raw, but are full-flavored and sturdy enough to stand up to cooking. Fresh Crenshaw can be used as a breakfast fruit and as a salad ingredient or used as an ingredient in cold soups and desserts. Seer the melons in a hot pan to caramelize their natural sugar content or grill on a fruit skewer with pineapple and mango. Crenshaw melons pair well with salty cured meats, fresh mozzarella, lime, mint, almonds and white wine. Once ripe uncut Casaba melon will keep at room temperature for up to a week. Refrigerate cut up melon in a sealed container up to three days.
Geography/History
Crenshaw melons grow in temperate and warm regions throughout the Mediterranean and the Americas. They also grow well in desert regions during the off-season of spring and fall. Their parent melon, the Persian, is native to Turkey and Iran. Crenshaw melons
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Crenshaw Melon. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Urban Nettle |
|
Spiced Crenshaw Melon Jam with Lime |
| Pinch My Salt |
|
Melon and Mozzarella Salad |
| Design Sponge |
|
Melon Rumballa |
Recently Spotted
People have spotted Crenshaw Melon using the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.
Produce Spotting allows you to share your produce discoveries with your neighbors and the world! Is your market carrying green dragon apples? Is a chef doing things with shaved fennel that are out of this world? Pinpoint your location annonymously through the Specialty Produce App and let others know about unique flavors that are around them.
|
Food Basics
Near Hawthorne, New Jersey, United States About 104 days ago, 6/10/17 Spotter's comments : Crenshaw Melon spotted at Food Basics. The Wharf Marketplace Near Monterey, California, United States About 421 days ago, 7/28/16 |
