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| Carosello Massafra Seedling - Late March |
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| Cut paper towel roll to protect against cutworms |
In general, melon varieties (C. melo) that are cultivated as cucumbers do well in the heat. While my regular cucumber varieties (C. sativus) wilt during very hot times of the day, my Carosello never do.
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| Carosello Massafra - April 11th |
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| Another C. Massafra on April 11th |
There is a regular pattern with all the cucumber-melons that I have grown so far, so that I know about when to expect to see both the male and female flowers.
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| Trellising Carosello plants on Tomato Cages |
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| Carosello Massafra - May 6th |
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| The Carosello Massafra produces melon flowers |
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| Carosello Massafra cucumbers |
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| Carosello Massafra melons around May 20th |
Last Saturday I picked
some Massafra fruit for a taste test. One of my children recently tested
positive for an allergy to cucumbers and pickles (C. sativus). Luckily he
tested negative to an allergy to melons (C. melo), so he was able to help me
with my Massafra taste test.
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| Maturing Carosello Massafra melon |
So – how did they taste? My best description is
super-juicy on the inside and lightly crispy-crunchy on the outside. The taste
was that of any other freshly picked cucumber. In short, it was delicious.
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| Morning Munching of Massafra Melons - say that 10 times fast! (= |
Angelo and my other Italian gardening friends at Amicidellortodue will have to forgive me for stealing their idea in some of the photographs that I took of my Carosello Massafra.
Recently, I found a really good page on making a summer salad with this variety and the Massafrese - howbeit the translation for the carosello variety "Barattiere" Google translated as "swindlers". This has to do with the nickname of that variety of carosello which, I am told, has more to do with the personality of the farmer who invented the variety than with the carosello variety itself.
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| The Carosello Tondo Massafra |
Dear Jay,
ReplyDeleteWhat a big difference with my Carosello Tondo Massafrese! Here in North Italy we have had the rainiest springtime for ages. I'm having difficulty growing carosellos this year. We are at the end of May and I'm still using plastic shelters in the night to save them from cold. I envy your dry climate.
Your Siletz, Neptune and Hahms Gelbe tomatoes are growing well. I'll send some pictures of them as soon as possible.
Hi Giuseppe!
DeleteEach of us climate problems to deal with. I thought I was going to be growing the blotched Massafra but all of mine are a very solid dark green color. I have another bag of seeds I'll try later.
I am so glad to hear that the tomatoes are doing well. I would love some pictures. I would be happy to add them to this blog with a note that they are from you. (=
So Jay they look like a cuke when cut open and taste like one...you could make pickles out of them??? Cool.
ReplyDeleteWhy are they called melons? Do they taste like cucumber or melon or mixed?
ReplyDeleteThe Carosello are in the melon family but the fruit tastes like a cucumber.
DeleteHi Jay. I'd say better than a cucumber. But it's only my opinion. My wife, my daughter and my son like cucumbers better, even though they appreciate all carosello varieties as well.
DeleteHey Giuseppe - I agree with you. They are especially juicy and delicious!
DeleteCan we get these seeds stateside?
ReplyDeleteDear Southernruralroute,
DeleteWhen I do not respond for a while it is usually because I am thinking of an appropriate response. The question that you asked me is something that I have been working on for a few years. If you periodically type in "Cucumbershop.com" into your browser you should (in the near future) be able to contact a stateside seed supplier.
Dear Southernruralroute,
DeleteYou may now find these seeds stateside at Cucumbershop.com. (=
Respectfully,
Jay