This is the first, I hope, of many projects using dried, cured gourds from the garden. I used a Cucuzzi Gourd ‘Lagenaria siceraria’ to make a sort of autumn cornucopia. I initially I chose to grow Cucuzzi gourds because they are edible when young and more disease resistant than squash. I let some grow large so I could experiment with gourd curing and crafting.
Read more
Kiwano peels make excellent serving dishes. The unique orange, spiky skins of the fruit, (also known as the African Horned Melon ‘Cucumis metuliferus‘), certainly make a stunningly unique presentation. Here is a simple recipe for Kiwano Syrup:
Fruit of 1 kiwano
1/4 sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. flour
1/2 tbp. butter
Cut African Horned Melon in two, lengthwise. Into a bowl, scoop out pulp, (all… Read more
Here is a fully ripe African Horned Melon or Kiwano (‘Cucumis metuliferus’). I was anxious to sample the melon, but a little nervous as well, as I’ve read other accounts of people less than happy about the taste.
Here are some pictures of the fruit sliced diagonally and vertically. Although an odd looking fruit, I think it looks especially pretty sliced at the equator.
Read more