From the beginning of the 1300s until the middle of the 1500s, the watermelon was part of the dishes served at the rich banquets of the Estense Court of Ferrara. In the Ferrara area, the cultivation of the watermelon thus plays a very important role and extends throughout the territory. Producers have been able to find suitable varieties for every type of soil. Thus, in clay and peat soils such as Bondeno, Berra, Jolanda, Ostellato and Argenta, the Crimson Sweet variety prevails. In Codigoro, Mesola, Lagosanto and Comacchio the Sugar Baby type prevails, which is well suited to sandy soils.
It is a typical summer fruit, with a high water content which, together with the low sugar content, makes it an essentially thirst-quenching food. Eaten in slices or in salads contained in its skin, always well fresh is a typical summer custom.
