(C. melo) Carosello is a specialty of Puglia in the sun-baked southeast corner of Italy. They belong to a class of cucurbits, including the perhaps better known "Armenian cucumber," which are botanically melons but are eaten immature, at which point they taste (and are used) very similar to cucumbers. The cultivation of Caroselli and other "cucumber-melons" predates true cucumbers in the Mediterranean region, and many countries have versions that date back to antiquity. They come in a diversity of shapes and colors: round, elongated, ribbed, striped, fuzzy or smooth, light or dark green. Many are specific to the small geographic area they come from, and a couple are listed with Slow Food's "Ark of Taste". This particular variety is known as Leccese Light Green, named after the historic city of Lecce, one of the most important population centers in the region, from where it comes. Plump, light green, cylindrical fruits are refreshingly crisp with a flavor not too dissimilar from a classic cucumber but with a finer, almost-but-not-quite summer squash-like texture, thinner skin, and perhaps slight undertones of its melon family kin. Carosello evangelist Jay Tracy of the Cucumber Shop in Fairfield, CA, shared this strain with us. He considers this strain among the best, most uniform, and most productive of the many he maintains.
Note: In spite of being botanically melons, these are very much appropriate for even short cool seasons. Because they are eaten "immature," they are harvested on a similar timeline to cucumbers, and multiple successions can even be grown in a single season. First plantings should go in, however, when you would plant other melon varieties. Since people will invariably ask, fully ripe melons are rather bland and unremarkable. 50-60 days. UO
