Revived Montreal melon makes a comeback

In the heart of Montreal, a historic fruit is being brought back to life. The Montreal melon, once cultivated by the Décarie, Gorman, Daoust, Roy, and Cardinal families in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Outremont, Mont-Royal, and Côte-des-Neiges areas, is being revived on the former Blue Bonnets racetrack.

This delicate operation is faced with challenges, such as groundhogs roaming around the plants, making the process all the more challenging. Justine Sénechal, agricultural production project manager at MultiCaf, admits that she does not have the time to turn the melons every two days for perfect roundness. The melons' fragility and variability in taste add to the growing difficulties.

Despite the obstacles, MultiCaf and the Côte-des-Neiges history society Souvenirs et mémoires are inviting the public to a tasting session on September 18, 2022, at the Les Bonnets Bleus microfarm. This event aims to not only celebrate the Montreal melon but also to contribute to its continuation.

The distinct flavor of the Montreal melon was what made it famous, opening doors to chic hotels in Montreal, Boston, and New York. So special was this melon that it was shipped to England to offer to King Edward VII.

The community organization MultiCaf, in collaboration with Souvenirs et mémoires, is trying to restore the reputation of the Montreal melon by involving the population. Bernard Lavallée, known as the Urban Nutritionist, has contributed to this revival by publishing a book and selling seed packets. Gilles Décarie, a descendant of one of the original Montreal melon cultivators, has been growing Montreal melons since last year to revive his family's history.

Pierre Cardinal, whose family made a fortune cultivating the Montreal melon, is the chief taster for the revival project. For him, tasting the Montreal melon is a symbol of a golden age for his family. The genetics of the Montreal melon are still weak, with the goal of selecting the best melons year after year to get as close as possible to the original description.

The spring of 2024 marked a significant moment for the project, with the MultiCaf team procuring seeds from Semences Terre Promise for their first plantings. They invited the public to plant them and taste the melons at the end of August.

Participants in the tasting session will not only get to taste a piece of Montreal's history but also be a part of its future. Join us on September 18, 2022, at Les Bonnets Bleus microfarm, and be a part of the Montreal melon's revival. For more information, visit MultiCaf's website and read their articles "The Montreal Melon Mystery Finally Solved?" and "Enthralled by a Melon."