Fuzzy Melon

APPEARANCE: This melon might be mistaken for a cucumber or a courgette except for skin texture (hairy), color (blotchy), and shape (broader than the former two, and slightly swollen at each end like a dumbbell). The average specimen measures 4 to 8 inches in length and 2 to 3 inches in diameter.

QUALITY: The smaller and younger they are the firmer and more uniform the flesh.

COMMENTS: Fuzzy melon is a diminutive race of the gigantic winter melon. Like the British vegetable marrow and the American zucchini, it is bland in flavor with a fine-grained texture that softens quickly and readily absorbs flavors in cooking.