I recently came across a horned melon (Cucumis metuliferus) in a grocery store. I've seen them before but after reading up about it, I wasn't sure if it was something I wanted to try. I didn't end up getting it. A while later Jame brought one home. Curiosity got the better of me and I ended up trying it.
I've got to say that I'm really not a fan. It tastes like an extremely acidic cucumber with harder seeds. Although fun to look at, it really wasn't fun to eat!
I still recommend trying it. Just go in with low expectations and you won't be disappointed. Then you can grow your own with the seeds. Apparently they're as easy as the related cucumber, and the melons could be fun decorations for fall.
I read somewhere that they're okay if you dump a ton of sugar on them. Though pretty much anything is okay with a ton of sugar on it, so that may not be much of a recommendation.
ReplyDeleteI say decoration would be best!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI've never even seen one of these before...it certainly looks interesting though! So I Googled for 'How to eat a Horned Melon' and found the below link. Apparently they taste of cucumber/kiwi-fruit if they're under-ripe when picked and like banana when fully ripe! The instructions for eating them seem a bit fiddly though: http://www.wikihow.com/Eat-a-Kiwano-(Horned-Melon)
ReplyDelete@mr_subjunctive, I heard that too, but yeah, why add a tonne of sugar? I'm too lazy for that.
ReplyDelete@Julie, indeed!
@Tanya, It seems like a lot of effort. It's next to impossible to tell which ones are ripe anyway, so until I visit a place with someone growing them, that knows exactly when they're ripe, I'll have to pass. :(