Melon 'Manuel António'

In Portugal there is a variety of melon that goes by the name of Manuel António. This is the man who planted the seeds of this green melon, with a sweet textured pulp and fragrance reminiscent of the trips that many centuries ago brought the melon to the Iberian Peninsula, from Iran and India. It was in idyllic Alpiarça, in the heart of the Ribatejo region, where the fertile floodlands fed by the river Tagus provide pasture for the Sorraia horses, that Manuel Antonio tended for the growth of these fruits and realised he had to protect them from the sun to preserve their colour and taste. One starry night he devised the idea to cover his fields to protect them. That is why the Manuel António Melon is cloaked in straw until it is harvested at the exact point of maturity, when its fresh sweet flavor will leave you speechless. Thanks to efforts from many people and the municipality of Alpiarça this variety was saved from extinction. This is a reason for celebration because this might very well be the best melon we will ever taste.