Honeydew (melon)

Lore & Background

The honeydew melon is often associated with the White Antibes cultivar, but the modern honeydew is a distinct cultivar group developed through selective breeding, not simply a renaming. In China, honeydews are known as Bailan melons, famous locally near Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu province. Some Chinese sources suggest the melons were introduced to China by American Secretary of Agriculture Henry A. Wallace, who may have donated melon seeds while visiting in the 1940s, though this story lacks solid documentary evidence and is not widely confirmed by historical sources.

Reader's Guide

The honeydew melon holds significance as a widely consumed fruit in the Inodorus Group, distinguished by its smooth rind and lack of musky odor. Its cultivation is best suited to semiarid climates, and harvesting is based on maturity rather than size, judged by rind color shifting from greenish white to creamy yellow, a yielding blossom-end, and pleasant aroma. Quality is assessed by nearly spherical shape, a surface free of scars or defects, a heavy feel for its size, and a waxy rather than fuzzy surface. Nutritionally, the honeydew is 90% water, low in calories at 36 per 100g, and an excellent source of vitamin C, also providing thiamine and potassium. Its introduction to China by Henry A. Wallace in the 1940s led to the local name 'Wallace' (Hualaishi). The fruit is known by various names in different cultures, including 'Melón tuna' in parts of Latin America, and is used for dessert. Its seeds contain high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Did You Know?

• The honeydew is 90% water and contains only 36 calories per 100 grams.
• The nickname 'Melón tuna' for honeydew is not widely recognized in Latin America; the term is more commonly associated with prickly pear fruit.