We are often asked for tips on how to choose the best melon. And we, of course, give certain guidelines that can help in the choice. But we also say that if you choose a Peris melon, you will hardly go wrong.
And this is the best time to go and look for one of our melons, because the national season of open sky melons has just started, that is to say, melons that are not from greenhouses, and therefore offer us better quality. These first weeks its origin is Murcia and at the end of July will enter the melons that we grow in Castilla-La Mancha, the best areas for the cultivation of melons.
Among our
piel de sapo melon brands
we have several levels, from the highest quality ones, such as 18 Carat and Vicentín, to the very good quality ones, such as Peris Gold or Peris Dolce. And so on. That has been our league since we were born more than 70 years ago.
18 Quilates and Vicentín, our best piel de sapo melons
The 18 Carat and Vicentín melons come from the first flower of the plant. You may not have known it, but each melon plant can produce multiple flowers, usually more than three, depending on the variety. Each successive flower is further away from the plant, therefore, melons from the last flowers usually receive much less nutrients. The melons from the first flower are always the best and only those will be 18 Carat and Vicentin, as long as they pass the rest of the requirements, because it is not so easy to enter the ‘Olympus of Melons’.
18 Quilates and Vicentín usually weigh more than 4 kilos, and are harvested at optimum maturity. They are melons with dense and firm flesh. In addition, the piece is correctly formed and scribed. These same characteristics, except for the weight, which is significantly lower, are taken into account for other brands, such as Peris Gold, pieces weighing more than 3 kilos, and Peris Dolce, weighing less than 3 kilos and with an excellent quality-price ratio. Peris Dolce can also come from the second flower, but no more.
In other words, at Peris we take into account all the known factors that make a melon the best melon, and only those will bear our trademarks.
Three selection processes for choosing the best melons
The selection stages that our melons have to go through before we can say that they are the best are diverse.
The first selection is made before the melon is grown, with the choice of the variety, the best seedlings, the best soils and the best water.
Then, the professional management of the breeding of these seedlings is fundamental, where respect for the appropriate rhythms of the plant and maximum respect for the environment are essential to obtain a melon of the highest quality.
During cultivation there is another level of selection at the time of melon cutting, one of the most exciting. Imagine. The market is tense, eager for the first quality melons to arrive because the consumer is hungry for them. And we, there, waiting for the melon to give us a sign that now, yes, now it is ready.
It’s our red line, the market rules, but our quality assurance rules more. In fact, on occasion, especially between seasons, it is impossible to find 18 Carat or Vicentin in the market. If they are not of the quality we promise, we simply have to wait.
The last selection is made in our production plant. It is the last filter to determine which brand will carry each Peris melon. This phase is the responsibility of the triadores, experts who know the melon and the Peris quality standards.
Our melons are the ones chosen by the most select greengrocers and the most demanding supermarkets. If you cannot find them in your usual point of purchase, you can ask for our melons to your trusted greengrocer, since we distribute them all over Spain thanks to the large food markets, such as Valencia, Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao. You can also buy Vicentín melons in our online store.
Have you already got your Peris melon? Great, now let’s enjoy it. Here is a quick and easy recipe with melon.
Melon gazpacho recipe
Good melon needs no dressing to enjoy it to the fullest. Alone, bite by bite, it is a meal of gods.
However, using a good melon in a recipe is a great decision, as it will turn our recipe, no matter how simple, into a delicious melon recipe.
Buy a Peris melon and try this simple and delicious melon gazpacho.
Ingredients (for 4 persons)
- 700 g. of Peris melon.
- 100 g. of bread from the previous day.
- 100 g. of Italian green bell pepper.
- 1 garlic (or to taste).
- 50 cl. of white vinegar (or to taste).
- 100 cl. of extra virgin olive oil.
- Sal.
Elaboration (15′):
Peel the melon, remove the seeds and cut it into pieces.
Soak the bread in the vinegar.
Remove the seeds from the bell pepper and chop it.
Add all the ingredients to a food processor, along with the garlic, olive oil and salt. Whisk until emulsified.
You can add diced serrano ham when serving it, it will give it a salty counterpoint. It is better if you roast it in the oven a little bit.
If you let it rest for a few hours in the refrigerator, the flavors will settle and it will be even better.
Enjoy!