Beijing News (reporter Jing Xiaochen) In everyone's impression, the size of winter melon is relatively large, often used to stew soup or stir-fry vegetables, recently the Beijing News reporter visited the Beijing Xinfadi market found a kind of "small winter melon" with only more than one pound. The reporter interviewed Song Hongshuo, the "king of winter melons" in Xinfadi, who said that this winter melon can be eaten raw, but the taste is not as sweet and delicious as said on the Internet, and the current sales volume is not large.
Fruit winter melon. Courtesy of respondents
According to reports, this "small winter melon" is called fruit winter melon, which is much smaller than the ordinary green-skinned winter melon, and each weight is only more than one pound. The skin is green and has a small, hard layer of fuzz. Song Hongshuo introduced that the difference between fruit winter melon and ordinary winter melon is that it is relatively small, and it can be put for a longer time, and the price is more expensive than ordinary winter melon, about 1.5 yuan per kilogram.
This kind of fruit winter melon was first planted in Shandong, and there are also in Yunnan at present, but the output is not high, so the sales volume is not large, "the number of people who buy fruit winter melon is still relatively small, and some supermarkets still choose ordinary green skin winter melon." The reporter learned that the "fruit winter melon" is not a traditional climbing cultivation, but the use of stand-up cultivation technology, so that one winter melon grows on the crane vine, which is more conducive to the ventilation and lighting of the plant. Moreover, thanks to the vertical growth, the shape of this winter melon is evenly straight and straight, and it sells better.
Fruit winter melon sells better. Courtesy of respondents
The reporter tasted a bite of the fruit winter melon, and the taste of eating it was somewhat similar to that of cucumber, and the sweetness was low. Song Hongshuo told reporters that this kind of winter melon is still cooked and more delicious, compared to ordinary green skin winter melon, the cooking time will be longer, and it is not easy to rot. Merchants selling winter melon in Xinfadi told reporters that the fruit winter melon can be used to make cold dishes, and the taste of adding spices will be better, and other methods are the same as ordinary winter melons.
Song Hongshuo introduced that the fruit winter melon is on the market from July to August every year. Because the price of vegetables in summer is relatively cheap, many farmers will choose to pick them up and store them, and then sell them when the weather is cold, so that the price will be higher. "Ordinary winter melons are too big, and the market is sold in slices and pieces. The fruit winter melon can be eaten in one day, will not waste and clean and hygienic. ”
Beijing News reporter Jing Xiaochen
Edited by Zhang Shujing Proofreader He Yan