Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Fun Facts | Watermelon

  • Watermelon’s official name is Citrullus lanatus of the botanical family Curcurbitacae and it is a vegetable. It is related to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash.
  • The first recorded watermelon harvest occurred nearly 5,000 years ago in Egypt.
  • Early explorers used watermelons as canteens.
  • The word “watermelon” first appeared in the English dictionary in 1615.
  • Watermelon is grown in over 96 countries worldwide; over 1,200 varieties of watermelon are grown worldwide.
  • In China and Japan watermelon is a popular gift to bring a host.
  • In Israel and Egypt, the sweet taste of watermelon is often paired with the salty taste of feta cheese.
  • In 1990, Bill Carson, of Arrington, Tennessee, grew the largest watermelon at 262 pounds that is still on the record books according to the 1998 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.
  • Watermelon is an ideal health food because it doesn’t contain any fat or cholesterol, is high in fiber and vitamins A & C and is a good source of potassium.
  • Every part of a watermelon is edible, even the seeds and rinds.
What’s the best way to cut a watermelon?

Click here to see detailed, step-by-step photo instructions.

Source: FabulousFoods.com

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Awesome post!! Like the melons.