Watermelon is thought to have
originated in the Kalahari Desert of Africa and its popularity is partially due
to the flavor and the amount of water it contains... it is 92-94% water, thus
the name. Much of the epic history of the watermelon has been researched by Harry Paris, a
horticulturalist at the Agricultural Research Organization in Israel, who has
spent years assembling clues including ancient Hebrew texts, artifacts in
Egyptian tombs, and medieval illustrations…. archaeologists discovered watermelon
seeds, along with the remnants of other fruits, at a 5,000-year-old settlement
in Libya. From Africa watermelons spread throughout countries along the
Mediterranean Sea by way of merchant ships where they were stored to be used as
a portable canteen for fresh water on journeys.
The first recorded watermelon harvest
occurred nearly 5,000 years ago in Egypt and is depicted in Egyptian
hieroglyphics on walls of their ancient buildings. Watermelons were often
placed in the burial tombs of kings to nourish them in the afterlife... one was
discovered in King Tut’s tomb. Pliny the elder, our favorite Greek historian,
mentioned them as a refrigerant maxime, an extremely cooling food, in his first
century encyclopedia, Historia
Naturalis.
By the 10th century, watermelon found
its way to China, which is now the world's number one producer of watermelons.
By the 13th century, they were known throughout Europe. Southern
food historian, John Egerton, believes watermelon made its way to the United
States with African slaves as he states in his book, "Southern Food."
About 200-300 varieties are grown in
the U.S. and Mexico, although there are about 50 varieties that are very
popular. In selecting a watermelon, choose one that is heavy for its size and
free of bruises with a yellow underside indicating it was vine ripened.
For a moment of inspiration is must be
noted that watermelons are being reintroduced to sub-Sahara Africa as a source
of water for those in drought stricken areas. It is indeed a miracle plant!
Photo:
Giuseppe Recco's Still Life With Fruit (1634-1695).
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