The true story of the Italian square watermelon

Some days ago, FreshPlaza Italy published some photos which were found on the online edition of the Italian newspaper La Repubblica (see related article) and which was showing the production of square watermelons. Yesterday, the inventor, Mr. Franco Feroldi (in the picture) from Casalmaggiore (near Cremona - Lombardy region) has contacted us to tell us his story.

"All started in 1995 - Franco says - I was riding my car with a watermelon in the trunck. The road was curved and when I stopped I found the watermelon was broken in two. That was the moment I've got the idea to create a square one. First experiments went on until 1997, when I succeeded in the creation of the first square watermelon. So I showed it to my - until that moment sceptical - friends and, unexpectedly, I became a legend. All the Italian media ran to see my invention and my fame was quickly spread worldwide".

"In the 2001 summer, Japaneses launched their - very pretty ones, I admit - square watermelons, presenting them as an invention of their own. I declared it was not a Japanese invention, but I soon realized that my request to patent the square watermelons was rejected by the Italian bureaucracy in 2000 because of - so was said - a "lack of inventive activity" (!)".

"Nowadays, I am still producing my square and triangular watermelons and I am trying new shapes as well. I have worked hard to improve this technique and the last results are very good. I hope someone could be interested in my products. Moreover, I am trying to let these watermelon become a part of the gastronomical specialties of the area near Cremona, in order to further valorize them".

Contacts:
Franco Feroldi
Phone: +39 (0)375 41670
Mob.: +39 338 4740492
E-mail: anguriedifranco@libero.it

Franco's square and triangular watermelons in 1997

Publication date: 7/22/2008
Author: Rossella Gigli
Copyright: www.freshplaza.com

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