Watermelon or watermelon is part of the Cucurbitaceae family. The skin is bright green and the red flesh is rich in edible black seeds. The percentage of water inside is very high together with the sugar index. The watermelon is ripe when the peel is a beautiful dark green color, or green with gray veins. You can try to scratch off a bit of peel with a fingernail: if it comes off easily, the watermelon is ripe to the right point.
Watermelon is probably native to the Kalahari Desert where explorer David Livingstone observed an abundant growth. In these areas the fruit grows spontaneously and is called Tsamma (Citrullus lanatus var citroides). The plant has leaves of particular shape, while the high number of fruits produced by each one (about 100) represents a usual water source for the inhabitants of the area, as well as food. The watermelons were already cultivated in Ancient Egypt, almost 5000 years ago, inscriptions are also found in some hieroglyphics. The fruit was often placed in the tombs of the pharaohs, as a means of support for the afterlife. In the Egyptian myth the watermelon originated from the seed of the god Seth. In the X Century AD the watermelon was cultivated in China, a country that is currently the world’s leading producer. In the XIIIth Century the fruit was introduced in Europe by the invasion of the Moors.
Costa Rica – Nicaragua – Panama