The skin matures from a dark green to beige or golden-green covered by netting. When ripe, there will be a crack in a circle at the base and the entire uncut melon should smell sweet. The melons are almost perfectly round.
Inside the flesh can be a light lime green, or white. It is very fragrant and flavourful, with a high brix (sweetness) level (up to 13 to 15%.) [2]
The melons are generally about 2 to 3 pounds in size (900 to 1300 grams.)
If you see Galia Melons in North America, they likely came from Brazil, Costa Rica or Spain, and are very expensive compared to other melons.
Cooking Tips
Galia Melons are good with cold meats.
History Notes
Developed by a Dr Zvi Karchi at the Newe Ya’ar research centre.
Sources
[1] “This muskmelon has the green-flesh characteristics of ‘Ha’Ogen’ type melon, which was used as the female parental line, and netted rind from ‘Krymka’ cultivar, which was used as the male parental line.” — H.G. Nunez-Palenius1’2, H.J. Klee2, D.J. Huber2 and D.J. Cantliffe. A Single Insertion of ACC Oxidase Gene in Antisense Orientation Extends the Shelf Life in Muskmelon ‘Galia’ Hybrid Parental Line (Cucumis meló L. var. reticulatus Ser.) International Society for Horticultural Science: Acta Horticulturae. 731:421-426.
[2] Mitchell, J.M., D.J. Cantliffe, H.J. Klee, S.A. Sargent and P.J. Stoffella. 2007. Fruit quality characteristics of ‘Galia’ F1 Hybrid (Cucumis melo) L. var. reticulatus) Ser.) muskmelon developed from a transgenic male parent. International Society for Horticultural Science: Acta Horticulturae 731:31-37.