The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-10

| The poet may sing OF the ORIENT spices,
Or Barbary's dates in their palrny array,
But the huge. rosy melon in cold, juicy
slices
Is the Helicon font of hot summer
day"
Melons are more OF drink than food,
as the solids in them DC not amount D
more than per cent This is especially
true Of the watermelon. The juices Of
this fruit are very agreeable and make
a cooling drink, very grateful 10 fever
patients. greatly assisting in allaying the
fever as well as quenching thirst. In ev-
cry instance the melon pulp is eaten raw,
and must be served ice cold, either frozen
in water ice, etc, or thoroughly chilled
on ice. Melons are very frequently served
for dessert after a hearty meal; this s
very liable TO give rise TO annoying dis
comfort for many, If it causes no more
serious trouble. The stomach is deluged
with an excessive amount of exceedingly
cold liquid which seriously discommodes
the process of digesting the foods previ-
ously taken, and temporary. if not last
ing gastric trouble is the result Melons
should be regarded in the light Of sum-
ner soups. 10 be taken in moderate guam
tity before a hearty meal, thus prepar-
ing the way for the more solid and heat
! ing foods. They should be eaten slowly.
and by the time they reach the stomach
they viii lower the temperature apprecia-
bly, below the normal in any case, while
in some cases they reduce too high a
temperature TO the proper degree. so that
easily fermentable food may be eaten
with greater surety Of its immediate and
perfect digestion.
During the melon season the wise house
wife will substitute the watermelon and
fruit soups almost entirely for all other
kinds OF soup. and she cannot offer fam
lily or friends more delicious liquor TO
quaff on a warm summer or autumn day
than the COOL fragrant juices held ever
SO slightly in just enough solid but ten
der matter to retain them until they
touch the grateful tongue. slice of
j cool melon invites the appetite far more
readily than even the glass of sparkling
ice, and the small amount Of saccharine
matter along with its delicate but dis
tinctive flavor makes IL decidedly more
palatable.
At one other time is the melon most
appropriate and suitable. and that is
when served between meals simply to
quench thirst. with nothing added TO it in
the way of favoring or solid matter
When melons are eaten as nature in
tended they should be. almost everyone
can indulge in them, and when we ignor-
antly and persistently pervert nature we
certainly do not deserve 10 enjoy the
blessings showered upon US.
Selecting Melons.
A very little experience will enable one
TO unerringly select a good cantaloupe.
but the watermelon proves more Of a
lottery. The following sign is Said to
denote infallibly a ripe melon. When
the flesh of the melon changes color and
its seeds begin TO turn black or are fully
matured (as some varieties have brown
seeds small scale or blister will make
its appearance on the rlnd. It requires
close inspection to always find this sign,
but it is sure to be there if proper con-
ditions for 1t exist. These blisters in
crease In size and number as the melon
ripens until they are thickly strewn over
the surface A small crop Of blisters
would therefore indicate unripe fruit.
Catalogues may be judged more easily.
The smooth skin between the sections
should be yeIlowish green, the sections
quite rough and green. and when the
thumb nail is pressed into the melon at
the stem end il should give out sweet,
spicy odor OF 'musky" smell.
There are several ways OF serving the
cantaloupe and musk melon. but the
first essential is it's GOODNESS. Then it
he rnT
and then seasoned with sugar and a lit
re cinnamon or nutmeg or salt and pa
prika or q little honey strained over it
from the comb. The latter makes deli
cious eating. A pretty way to serve the
watermelon for breakfast is TO cut out
the pulp in cone shapes with a table
spoon and arrange in a pyramid on a
bed Of grape leaves and grape tendrils
showing in between.
Never commit the mistake OF putting
ice upon the flesh of the melon, or you
viii destroy the delicate favor OF the
fruit and greatly lessen the enjoyment
of the eating. The melon may be pre-
pared for tho table some time previous
10 tn serving II desired. Wash and wipe
them dry: Gu, open and remove seeds
and all stringy. tough part; then put the
two halves tightly together and bury
them In ice until needed. When the mel
on Is to be served for breakfast. put
EN- in q box with a large lump of ice.
spread newspapers over them and cover
closely.
Watermelon Ice.
Cut a chilled melon in halves: scoop
out all the red meat; remove the seeds;
chop the meat IN a wooden tray or bowl.
adding a cup Of sugar Pack into a
freezer, turn a few minutes until It is
like a soft snow and serve AT once
Watermelon With spliced claret.
Select perfectly ripe melon and ore
not too large Cat It in half or else plug
1t and FL with the following. Add sugar
enough 20 good claret TO make II pleas
antly sweet. then add a few pieces OF
stick cinnamon: few whole cloves and
graf ing Of nutmeg and boil all down 70
rather thick syrup. Pour this over the
cut melon. into the plugged one and
Law II on the ice for few hours 70 chill
thoroughly.
Watermelon Snow.
Have q melon thoroughly chilled. re-
move the heart and CIT IL Into thick
slices: pound piece CT Ice in a clean
piece OF buriap until L Is ike coarse
Stow az you have an fee shave use tha1l.
cut the slices cf melon into large squares
and hear Up on chilled plates and
sprinkle the ice thickiy over the melon
and serve at once. before The moisture