Watermelon Facts and Trivia
Watermelon facts and trivia as a tribute to the farmers, farm workers and stall owners growing, harvesting, transporting and selling watermelons.
It’s time to celebrate the watermelon. Without this gigantic fruit people in south Italy would have to drink so much water, they’d slosh every time they moved.
We have every reason to be thankful to the farmers, farm workers and stall owners for the hard work of growing, harvesting, transporting and selling watermelons for the ridiculously low prices of 40 Euro cents per kilo. Here are some photos of the process along with 10 fun facts about watermelons.
1. Origin
Watermelons have been harvested in Egypt for 5 000 years, and the fruit is depicted in hieroglyphics on walls of ancient buildings.
2. Varieties
According to Wikipedia there are more than 1200 varieties of watermelon.
3. Ingredients
A watermelon contains about 6% sugar and 92% water by weight
4. Size
Watermelons range in size from less than 1 to more than 100 kilos. The world’s largest watermelon was produced by the Lloyd Bright family from Hope in Arkansas in the summer of 2005. It weighed 268.8 pounds.
5. Shape
In Japan they’ve figured out a way to produce square watermelons in order to make them easier to store in the refrigerator
6. Weight
Ripe watermelons contain most water, so make sure to select a watermelon that’s relatively heavy for its size (if you can lift it).
7. Sound
Slap the big water melon with the palm of your hand. If it is ripe, it will make a hollow sound like tapping a water jug. An unripe watermelon will make a solid sound, like thumping a piece of wood, while a thick sound indicates overripeness.
At the end of the day, the watermelons are sold for less than 40 Euro cents per kilo.
8. Smell
Follow your nose to the best cantaloupe melon. Sniff the blossom end opposite the stem to discover ripeness. A ripe cantaloupe will have a noticeable sweet smell.
9. Festivals
There are innumerable watermelon festivals all over Italy in summer. Watch out for posters announcing ‘Sagra’ or ‘Festa dell’Anguria’.
10. Uses
The rind of watermelon can be stewed or served as pickles. Seeds make cute bracelets and necklaces, and people with a talent for woodwork can make the most amazing and artistic watermelon carvings.
Other charts like watermelon facts and trivia
5 facts about Mount Vesuvius
10 Interesting Gondola Facts
10 facts about the Trevi Fountain in Rome
Facts about Colosseum
Leaning Tower of Pisa facts
10 Facts About Pasta
Very cool facts! I had no idea they were first found in Egypt!
Those are some fun facts! Very interesting and I love watermelon.
My favorite recipe: spinach, feta and watermelon salad!
Square watermelons sound like a brilliant idea to me. Not only would they store easier, but they’re probably a lot easier to cut as well. What I’d really like to see the Japanese engineer though is a watermelon with a little more sugar in it. Maybe more of a 50/50 ratio.
Just discovered your blog and it’s making my desire to go back to Italy even stronger!! I’ll definitely be following you!
Those definitely are some fun facts. I was not aware of the square watermelons.
I love that sound a ripe watermelon makes when you slap it. It sounds like summer. But I had no idea watermelons date from the Egyptians. Nice item.
I can barley lift a watermelon, much less toss it!
They are popular here in Turkey as well. End up eating that many of them, that I grow bored of the taste, until next summer! :)
I love watermelon! Thanks for sharing these facts :)
Water melons are fantastic – the perfect dessert, really. Sweet and healthy!
“It’s time to celebrate the watermelon” is the most fun, most summery thing I’ve heard this summer!
One of my favorite things about summer!
I can’t believe how cheap watermelon is in Italy. Why do people ever eat anything else?? :)