Fruit Maven » Melon http://fruitmaven.com Your guide through the wild world of fruit. Tue, 15 May 2012 22:33:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Minty Blowfish – Kiwano Cocktail http://fruitmaven.com/2010/02/minty-blowfish-kiwano-cocktail/ http://fruitmaven.com/2010/02/minty-blowfish-kiwano-cocktail/#comments Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:00:06 +0000 Fruit Maven http://fruitmaven.com/?p=1962 If you are a regular reader of Fruit Maven (and you memorize all my ratings and reviews so you can recite them to your friends at parties), you may recall that I am not the biggest fan of the Kiwano Melon. It’s a total rockstar fruit to look at but completely dull and annoying to actually eat. So I was determined to figure out how to make this little blowfish fruit a party pleaser. And wa-la! It hit me — cocktail of course! So I started with one of my favorite recipes - the French 75 and doctored it up with kiwano melon and mint. This cocktail has a very grown up flavor, which is the perfect counterpoint to the ridiculousness of the “cup” I put it in.  You host a party with this cocktail and it just screams CONFIDENCE. You’ll be getting promoted and hi-fiving people in your new corner office in no time.

kiwano-cocktail
MINTY BLOWFISH
  • 1/2  kiwano melon
  • 3 mint leaves
  • 2 ounces gin (Hendricks is excellent for this)
  • 1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice (or about half a lemon)
  • Ice cubes
  • Champagne
  1. Slice Kiwano Melon in half. Take a knife and cut around the edges of the melon between the peel and the flesh. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh and place in cocktail shaker. Set aside the melon half.
  2. Add the mint leaves and muddle vigorously (muddle way more than you think – those little gelatin pods are not that interested in giving up their juice. MUDDLE!).
  3. Add gin and lemon juice.
  4. Shake with ice and strain in to melon half, or use a martini glass if you are too prissy to hold a prickly cup.
  5. Top with champagne.
  6. Garnish with lemon or kiwano slice.
WHERE TO GET THEM

When in season, you can buy Kiwano Melons at most asian stores, some standard grocery stores and online here. If you get them online, a small amount will go to support the Fruit Maven. So thanks in advance!

]]> http://fruitmaven.com/2010/02/minty-blowfish-kiwano-cocktail/feed/ 4 Kiwano/Horned Melon http://fruitmaven.com/2009/11/kiwanohorned-melon/ http://fruitmaven.com/2009/11/kiwanohorned-melon/#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:43:04 +0000 Fruit Maven http://fruitmaven.com/?p=713 If you’ve been looking for a way to legitimately use the word “horny” in a conversation, then this Kiwano Melon is the fruit for you! Kiwano Melon
APPEARANCE 5 out of 5 stars

This reminds me of a punk rock tiger fish! It is a spiky orange fruit with animal-like yellow spotting. The flesh is a gorgeous bright green that is in an amazing geometric pattern.

AROMA 2.5 out of 5 stars

None

TEXTURE 1.5 out of 5 stars

Very gelatinous – each seed is surrounded by a little jelly sack with a very firm membrane – its not like you can bite through and get to juice.  Lots and lots of edible seeds (think cucumber).

TASTE 2.5 out of 5 stars

The jelly part is a lot like a cucumber with the slightest hint of melon or kiwi or maybe lemon.  The seeds are fairly neutral tasting and somewhat annoying – they aren’t easy to chew or swallow.

OVERALL 2.88 out of 5 stars

Way more fun to look at than eat in my opinion. Granted I have not yet doctored it up with sugar and poured it over ice cream but I could douse lots of things in sugar and down them with a bite of ice cream and I’m not sure that justifies eating them.

FRUIT

Kiwano/Horned Melon

VARIETY

Unknown

PEAK

Year Round

ORIGIN

Africa

GROWN

New Zealand

PURCHASED

Grocery Store

NOTES

Also called African horned cucumber or melon, jelly melon, hedged gourd, English tomato, melano or Kiwano melon but the best of the best names this guy goes by is a Southwestern US nickname– Blowfish Fruit!

WHERE TO GET THEM

When in season, you can buy Kiwano Melons at most asian stores, some standard grocery stores and online here. If you get them online, a small amount will go to support the Fruit Maven. So thanks in advance!

]]> http://fruitmaven.com/2009/11/kiwanohorned-melon/feed/ 2 Armenian Tigger Melon http://fruitmaven.com/2009/11/armenian-tigger-melon/ http://fruitmaven.com/2009/11/armenian-tigger-melon/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:06 +0000 Fruit Maven http://fruitmaven.com/?p=417 If you were considering buying her flowers but wanted to be more memorable by sending a couple of melons to her work (and what girl wouldn’t want that), then this is the fruit for you!
APPEARANCE 5 out of 5 stars

Gorgeous, bright yellow and rusty orange tiger striped skin with pale, tan flesh

AROMA 5 out of 5 stars

This little baby just fills the room with fragrance while innocently sitting there on the table. Then when you cut it, oh when you cut it, it just explodes with the most divinely strong and sweet melony smell. This is what falling in love smells like.

TEXTURE 3.5 out of 5 stars

Pretty firm for a melon and juicy

TASTE 2.5 out of 5 stars

Mellow vanilla flavor with little sweetness

OVERALL 4 out of 5 stars

This fruit looks spectacular on the table, fills the room with enticing aromas and then is just ho hum when you eat it. Such a disappointment! BUT since it was only a dollar, I would take a few of these over expensive flowers any day.

FRUIT

Melon

VARIETY

Armenian Tigger

PEAK

Fall

ORIGIN

Armenia

GROWN

California

PURCHASED

Farmer’s Market

NOTES

When I bought this, the farmer warned me that it would be bland and was more for looks and smell and of course, he was right. Other North American farmers concurred. However my research on it indicates that this melon won taste tests back in Armenia so I’m not sure what happened. I guess a trip to Armenia is in order. The recipes below could work with this melon as it functions in a supporting role rather than as the star flavor. Let me know if you try it.

]]> http://fruitmaven.com/2009/11/armenian-tigger-melon/feed/ 2 Moon & Stars Watermelon http://fruitmaven.com/2009/10/moon-stars-watermelon/ http://fruitmaven.com/2009/10/moon-stars-watermelon/#comments Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:20:54 +0000 Fruit Maven http://fruitmaven.com/?p=393 If you think astronomy is looking up at the stars and figuring out how you are going to feel that day, then this is the fruit for you!
APPEARANCE 5 out of 5 stars

Petite globe shape, dark green with one yellow blotch (the moon) and a bunch of yellow dots (the stars). Pale pink flesh, large black seeds.

AROMA 3 out of 5 stars

Sweet, herbal, grassy smell

TEXTURE 2.5 out of 5 stars

Crunchy, juicy, airy. There are a lot of seeds!

TASTE

n/a (The farmer who sold this to me indicated this particular variety has a bit more citrus flavor than other watermelons).

OVERALL 3.5 out of 5 stars

This is an adorable melon. Love the size (which is unusual for this variety) and the moon and star markings. This is a real visual party pleaser. As for flavor — I hate watermelon — so I am just declining to comment on that out of respect for watermelon lovers everywhere. (sidenote: I tried to douse this in liquor via the watermelon martini below thinking I could promote that as a way to make it good, but alas it still tasted like watermelon. Gross.)

FRUIT

Watermelon

VARIETY

Moon & Stars

PEAK

Apr-Nov

ORIGIN

Tennessee

GROWN

Suzie’s Farm
San Diego, CA

PURCHASED

Farmer’s Market

NOTES

Also called Sun, Moon and Stars or Amish Moon and Stars Watermelon. (Read more about the history of this melon.) Moon & Stars watermelons are usually 20-40lbs. This was a small one. I chose it because I generally hate watermelon, so less is more so to speak.

Watermelons don’t get sweeter after picking. They are made of 92% water and every part is edible: flesh, seeds and rind.
Choosing a watermelon

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