I remember when I was a kid growing up in Michigan in the 1970s and my grandfather decided to grow watermelons in his garden. When they were harvested in August, we would have a backyard cook-out and they were eaten for dessert. Being that it was my first taste of them, I wasn’t overly impressed and decided I wouldn’t miss them if they never appeared on my plate again.

Now, fast-forward to September 1997 and my first visit to Uzbekistan. Since it was my first experience of living in another part of the world, there were many new things to take in and frankly, I was overwhelmed at times, too. Fortunately, my timing couldn’t have been better as I was there in the middle of the melon harvest.

While Uzbeks are humble people and are not prone to brag, one issue that they can’t contain was the pride they took in their melons. “You’ve got to try this”, my Uzbek brother said as he placed a plate full of melons in front of me. “These are the best melons in the world!” he proclaimed. I thought to myself, “How many times have I heard this.” The skeptic in me was in full force.
Needless to say, it was love at first bite and I haven’t had a melon since then that was as tasty as the ones I ate in Uzbekistan. I can’t recall a meal during my years in Uzbekistan where melons weren’t on the table, whether it was a quiet family dinner or a huge wedding party. Truly, my favorite memories of living in Uzbekistan was sitting on the tapchan and eating the delicious fruit with my host family in the Ferghana Valley.

And even more amazing was the variety of melons that are available, and that each one has its own particular taste. Today, there are more than 160 varieties and some of them have gained world-wide popularity. Of course, I’m partial to the ones grown in the Ferghana Valley, but I can’t help stating the truth! Just remember that no trip to Uzbekistan can be termed successful until you’ve tried the melons. The traveler can find delicious melons at any bazaar or roadside stand throughout Uzbekistan. When you get here, just ask your driver to stop the car when you see them for sale on the road.

On second thought, you probably won’t have to ask him; he’ll already know what to do.

Posted by Greg Stephenson