The moscatello melon is variety of Cucumis melo typical of Cremona and Mantova provinces. It produces large fruits (2-3 kilograms) with a round, slightly flattened shape. The rind, which has shallow longitudinal grooves, turns from green to straw yellow with greenish shading as the melon ripens. The pulp is a pale but bright greenish-yellow color, has a sweet flavor and soft, juicy consistency, and gives off a distinctive, intense aroma of moscato (muscat grape), from which this melon derives its name. This variety is produced exclusively in summer, grown in moist, well worked alluvial soils composed of clay, sand, and silt, which are ideal for the cultivation of high-quality cucurbits. Moscatello melon is an excellent ingredient for making ice cream and is also enjoyed in combination with cured ham, as its sweetness balances the rich, salty flavors of the meat.
The moscatello melon is a particular old variety, dating back at least to the late 1500s. It used to be associated almost exclusively with nobility and is also known as the Gonzaga melon, after the princely House of Gonzaga in Mantova. Only later did it become popular among the general public. It is depicted in Caravaggio’s painting, Still Life with Fruit on a Stone Ledge, where its central position suggests that the artist was a fan of the melon. There is also evidence of this variety in a 1662 cookbook by Bartolomeo Stefani, a chef for the Gonzagas. In his recipe for melon soup, Stefani calls for melons that have muscat smell and are not overripe; only the most tender part of the flesh, free of seeds and an ample distance from the rind, should be used. This is cut into small pieces and cooked in broth over a medium flame. The seeds are ground in a mortar and pestle with sugar and egg yolks and are added to the soup along with cream and lemon juice. Everything is stirred together with a silver or wooden spoon until perfectly cooked, and the soup is served without bread.
The moscatello melon was recently recovered thanks to the efforts of Professor Ettore Amadio from the professional institute for agriculture in Cremona, who obtained several plants from Mr. Mauro Albertoni of Vicomoscano, a hamlet of Casalmaggiore. This variety is not well known and thus not in high demand; combined with its short shelf life, which makes it difficult to store and transport, this means that it is not widely grown and, thus, is at risk from genetic erosion, even despite its seeds being conserved in the germplasm bank at the University of Pavia. Protecting the moscatello melon also means protecting the culture, territory, and traditional knowledge associated with its cultivation.
Today, moscatello melon is mostly consumed at the end of meals, but in the old days, it was popular as a refreshing snack among agricultural workers, who set up mlunere (melon stands) near the fields. These temporary structures were made from four poles and a sheet of cloth, which provided shade for a chair or two and the day’s drinks. Once a typical part of the agricultural landscape of the central Po Valley, mlunere now exist only in memory.
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