Carosello (melon)

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In this image, carosello are the elongated fruits, which are intermingled with round-shaped barattiere. Ecotipi carosello e barattiere.jpg
In this image, carosello are the elongated fruits, which are intermingled with round-shaped barattiere.
The fruit of carosello in development Frutto del carosello.jpg
The fruit of carosello in development

The carosello is a landrace variety of melon (Cucumis melo) found in Southern Italy. [1] [2] It is common in the Apulia region of Italy. [2] [3]

Contents

Varieties

Carosello barese is a rare heirloom variety of carosello. [4] "Barese" means "from Bari", the major port city of Apulia.

Another variety is the Barattiere "Tondo Liscio" (rounded smooth) of Manduria, an Apulian city which was an ancient Messapian settlement.

Uses

In Italian cuisine, carosello is used in the same manner as the cucumber. [1] [5] It is typically consumed in an immature, unripened state. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<i>Cucumis anguria</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Melothria scabra</i> Species of flowering plant

Melothria scabra, commonly known as the cucamelon, Mexican miniature watermelon, Mexican sour cucumber, Mexican sour gherkin, mouse melon, or pepquinos, is a species of flowering plant in the cucurbit family grown for its edible fruit. Its native range spans Mexico to Venezuela. Cucumis melo Agrestis and Cucumis callosus is cultivated as Chibber Fruit or Kachri in South Asia and can also grow as weed. Fruits are about the size of grapes and taste like cucumbers with a tinge of sourness. It may have been eaten by indigenous peoples before the European colonization of the Americas began.

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A pickled cucumber – commonly known as a pickle in the United States and Canada and a gherkin in Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand – is a usually small or miniature cucumber that has been pickled in a brine, vinegar, or other solution and left to ferment. The fermentation process is executed either by immersing the cucumbers in an acidic solution or through souring by lacto-fermentation. Pickled cucumbers are often part of mixed pickles.

<i>Cucumis melo</i> Species of plant

Cucumis melo, also known as melon, is a species of Cucumis that has been developed into many cultivated varieties. The fruit is a pepo. The flesh is either sweet or bland, with or without a musky aroma, and the rind can be smooth, ribbed, wrinkled, or netted. In North America, the sweet-flesh varieties are often collectively called muskmelon, including the musky netted-rind varieties and the inodorous smooth-rind varieties, and cantaloupe usually refers to the former type. However, muskmelon in a narrow sense only refers to the musky netted-rind type, also known as North American cantaloupe, while the true cantaloupe is the European type with ribbed and often warty rind that is seldom grown in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oriental melon</span> Melon cultivar

The oriental melon, is a group of Cucumis melo cultivars that are produced in East Asia. Phylogenetic studies tracing the genetic lineage of the plant suggest that it may have originated in eastern India, having then spread to China over the Silk Road, from which it was introduced to Korea and Japan. Its flavour has been described as a cross between a honeydew melon and a cucumber. It is noticeably less sweet than Western varieties of melon, and consists of about 90% water. The fruits are commonly eaten fresh; with its thin rind and small seeds, the melon can be eaten whole.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barattiere</span> Variety of muskmelon

The barattiere is a landrace variety of melon found in Southern Italy. It is common in the Apulia region of Italy and in the region of Sahel in Tunisia.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apulian cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Apulia, Italy

Apulian cuisine consists of the cooking traditions and practices of the region of Apulia in Italy. Starting from the Middle Ages the permanent residence of the nobility in the region gradually declined, which caused the disappearance of their noble cuisine over time. As the common people suffered from poverty, their culinary tradition adapted to use cheap and simple foods. Bread, vegetables and pasta have the leading role in the cuisine. Fruits, fish and wine are consumed frequently as well, but meat plays a minor role. The food of Apulia is known as a prime example of cucina povera or 'cuisine of the poor', characterizing its simplicity rather than its quality. Moreover, the simple dishes allow the quality of their local and seasonal ingredients to take center stage.

References

  1. 1 2 "Carosello and the taxonomy of Cucumis melo L. especially of its vegetable races". June 1986. DOI: 10.1007/BF02112805
  2. 1 2 3 Buttaro, D.; Bonasia, A.; Minuto, A.; Serio, F.; Santamaria, P. (2009). "Effect of silicon in the nutrient solution on the incidence of powdery mildew and quality traits in carosello and barattiere(Cucumis meloL.) grown in a soilless system". The Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology. Informa UK Limited. 84 (3): 300–304. doi:10.1080/14620316.2009.11512521. ISSN   1462-0316.
  3. "Characterization and valorization of two typical vegetables of Apulia region: Carosello and Barattiere [Cucumis melo L.; Apulia]". Colture Protette (Italy). ISSN   0390-0444 . Retrieved September 22, 2017.
  4. The Illustrated Cook's Book of Ingredients. The Illustrated Cook's Book of Ingredients. DK Publishing. 2010. p. 238. ISBN   978-0-7566-7673-5 . Retrieved September 22, 2017.
  5. Loebenstein, G.; Lecoq, H. (2012). Viruses and Virus Diseases of Vegetables in the Mediterranean Basin. Advances in Virus Research. Elsevier Science. p. 12. ISBN   978-0-12-394604-1 . Retrieved September 22, 2017.

Further reading