There’s nothing quite as sweet, juicy, and refreshing as a big old piece of watermelon in the hot summer months. Especially if the melon is chilled. Mmmm. Bearing an attractive striped green outer rind, and most commonly filled with a pink flesh and black seeds, the watermelon is a splendid summer treat. It is 95% water and contains lots of useful vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and electrolytes. These vitamins and minerals can help to reduce inflammation, get rid of free radicals in the body, and keep you hydrated. So, as delicious as watermelon is, it’s also healthy.
Watermelon is thought to have originated in southern Africa, a long, long time ago. Wild watermelons still grow there today, in the Kalahari desert. Though the place of its first cultivation is unknown, there is evidence that watermelon was cultivated in the Nile region of Egypt as early as the second millennium B.C. In fact, watermelon seeds have been found in the tombs of famous pharaohs, like King Tut. Unfortunately, however, there is no note of watermelons in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic texts or paintings. Too bad, I think it would be cool to see an Egyptian hieroglyphic of a watermelon. Don’t you?
There’s no real telling how the watermelon made it from Africa to China, where it is produced in highest numbers today. But we do know that the beautiful fruit was cultivated in China by the 10th century A.D. Vietnamese legend holds that the green and red melons were in Vietnam before China. An old tale bodes of a Vietnamese royal named Prince Mai An Tiêm who was exiled to an island. He was told that if he could survive there for six months, he would be allowed to return home. While the prince was on the island, a bird was said to drop a watermelon seed, which the prince cultivated. He survived and was allowed to return home. It is said that when the Chinese took over Vietnam in 110 B.C. they garnered access to the watermelons, and gave the fruit the name it possesses today. Moorish invaders then introduced watermelon to Europe in the 13th century A.D.
It is widely believed that watermelons made it to North America via European settlers and African slaves. Though it is also said that French settlers found Native Americans cultivating watermelons in the Mississippi Valley as early as the 1500s. I personally don’t care how it got here, I’m just glad it’s here, because there’s nothing I enjoy more during the summer months than a big chunk of watermelon goodness. Forget the slices. Leave the cubes alone. I prefer to eat about a quarter or eighth of the watermelon, depending on the size, with a spoon. It’s just more satisfying that way. Anything else is just a tease.
