Spanish melon. Toad (or frog) skin melon!

Here in Spain when you say melon you mean the green "Toad skin melon" in Swedish "Grodskinnsmelon".
If you mean any other type of melon you have to describe it as Cantaloupemelon etc. It is a very sweet and juicy melon, perfect with Serrano Ham!! Usually it is the man of the family who cuts it. And this in a very special way. Here you see my husbond at work, cutting a very nice melon.

It is a art in itself!! In Spanish the name of the melon is: Piel de Sapo. Piel de Sapo (family Cucurbitaceae, Cucumis melo, Inodorus group) is a type of melon widely available in the Northern Hemisphere, with a green blotched skin after which it is named. (Piel De Sapo translates as "toad skin"). With the same shape but with yellow skin there is another type known as "Amarillo" or "Yellow Canary"" melon. Piel de Sapo originated in Spain where it is widely grown (about 30.000 hectars are grown every year). La Mancha is the main region in Spain producing this type with 12.000 hectars. They grow outdoors full season with plantings starting in May and running until June. Production starts in mid July and ends in September. Another important area is Murcia that has specialized in growing early crops. There, they plant mainly in Mid March and harvest from mid June to mid July.
It has a white sweet-tasting flesh and flourishes in slightly acidic or neutral soil. Large quantities are imported into Europe, and it is also grown in Brazil and Central America, to supply produce to Spain during autumn, winter and spring.
It is delicius by itself really cold or with ham. Perfect on a hot day like today!