Although available year-round, the winter melon reaches its peak in summer. Why, then, the name?
According to "Asian Ingredients" by Bruce Cost, the moniker comes from the "waxy white blotching" on the green mature skin, which looks "like a dusting of snow." Thanks to cold storage, the melon also stores well into winter, Cost writes.
To add to the confusion, a winter melon is a squash, not a melon. While the texture of the flesh was likened to honeydew melon by Deh-Ta Hsiung, author of "The Chinese Kitchen," he noted the taste is bland, akin to zucchini.
The flavor may be low-key; however, the presentation can be anything but. A whole winter melon, which can be as large as any jack-o'-lantern, often is hollowed out and used as a soup tureen at Chinese banquets. Ambitious chefs often will carve a decorative bas-relief into the melon's skin. Some of the carvings can be quite intricate.
People are also reading…
What to look for: Winter melons often are sold by the slice — a boon to the home cook unwilling to wrestle with the whole fruit.
Wedges are found wrapped in plastic in the produce section of Asian markets.
Avoid bruised fruit; if buying whole, the melon should be firm.
At home: Cost writes that sliced winter melon will keep refrigerated five to six days if wrapped in foil. A whole melon can be stored in a cool and dry place for up to a month, according to Frieda's Inc., a specialty-produce company based in Los Angeles.
A soup made with winter melon and ham is a classic presentation. Peeled and seeded, winter melon can be cut into strips or cubed for stir-fries, perhaps substituting it for zucchini. The flesh turns transparent as it cooks. Winter melon is often pickled or made into pastries.
