Italian Prosciutto Wrapped Melon Slices (Prosciutto e Melone)

We can thank Mr. Pellegrino Artusi, "the father of modern Italian cuisine," for this dish. He added it to his seminal cookbook in the 1890s, after which it later seemingly disappeared and showed back up by popular demand in the 1960s, and has been a staple in Italian cuisine ever since.

Yes, prosciutto is pork! Prosciutto, which translates to "ham" in Italian, is made only using the hind legs of the pig and it's aged using a dry-curing method. There are typically two types: prosciutto cotto (cooked ham) and prosciutto crudo (uncooked but cured). "Crudo" means "raw" in Italian, and "cotto" means cooked.

Yes, prosciutto crudo is raw, but it's cured using a dry-curing method and salt. However, prosciutto cotto is cooked ham.

Prosciutto comes from Italy. Making and curing prosciutto originated in Italy thousands of years ago. The different regional varieties are produced under strict quality control. For instance, Prosciutto di Parma can only be produced in Parma, Italy, and is made using specialty-bred pigs, sea salt, time, and the air.

Prosciutto di Parma is a 100% natural cured ham without any additives, preservatives, hormones, gluten, or coloring agents, made in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. All the salting of the hams is done by hand by a "maestro salatore" (salt master), which is why Prosciutto di Parma isn't as salty as some commercially treated prosciutti.

You pronounce "prosciutto" like "pro-shoe-toh". The "sc" in "prosciutto" sounds like "sh" in the English language.

Prosciutto di Parma and cantaloupe. The melon can be carved out using a melon baller or it can simply be sliced and then wrapped in paper-thin slices of delicious and salty prosciutto crudo.

You can eat prosciutto and melon as an appetizer, or a side to a light lunch or dinner. Here in Italy, you will only find it in the summer months when melon and cantaloupe are in season. You can also eat it at brunch, breakfast, or for aperitivo with a glass of champagne or prosecco.

No, you don't have to cook prosciutto. It's meant to be eaten in its naturally dry-cured state, sliced paper-thin so that it's buttery soft and delicious. But it's also great pan-fried in a hot skillet as a substitute for bacon on burgers, for bacon and eggs, as a side to french toast, or on a BLT.

There is some mystery behind precisely where melons originated, but it's widely believed they originated in either West Africa or Southwest or Central Asia. Melons have been considered a symbol of fertility throughout history because of the high number of seeds contained in each one. Melons arrived in Italy during the first century AC.

There are 60 calories in one cup of cantaloupe.

Yes, cantaloupe is full of nutrients and packed with vitamin A (in beta-carotene form), vitamin C, and potassium. It's low in calories, contains 90% water, and is naturally sweet. It's especially good to eat in the summer peak season when you're craving dessert but want to opt for something healthy.

Look for these 5 signs: (1) Heavy - it should feel heavy for its size, (2) The stem should not be attached with a slightly concave indention where it used to be, (3) Fragrant - ripe cantaloupes are fragrant, (4) Firmness - firm with a slight give like a ripe pineapple, and (5) Color - tan, yellow, or beige with soft coral orange-colored flesh.

You can't ripen a cantaloupe after it's been picked. It's not like a banana, mango, or avocado that ripens further when placed in a paper bag. But you can place it in a paper bag to help it soften, just don't expect the flavor to change.