How to pick a ripe watermelon and more...

My mother always said “There is nothing better than a nice, fresh cold, sweet watermelon!”

So how do you know when a watermelon or any melon for that matter will meet your taste buds expectations?

Here are a few guidelines to help you select the perfect melon.

Regardless of the variety (I prefer a nice crimson seedless) the signs of a good watermelon are universal.

1: Look for a watermelon that is evenly oval or rounded (symmetrical)

2: The melon should be quit heavy for its size. Remember, a watermelon is mostly water (92%) so if it’s not as heavy as it looks pass it by.

3: The melon for you will be free of dents and gnarls. The skin should be smooth and uniformed. Bad skin on a melon could indicate that is did not grow properly, could be over grown or did not get enough water. In any event, it will not be as sweet as you would expect.

4: The bottom of the melon should be a pale yellow color. If it’s green or white it’s not going to be as sweet as if the bottom were pale yellow. A yellow bottom means it is fully ripe.

5: The end, where it was cut from the stem, should be somewhat softer than the rest of the melon and give off a slight sent of the melon itself. If the stem scar is hard and you cannot smell anything, the melon is not ready.

If you follow those simple steps you are sure to find a good watermelon to stuff your face all summer.

Cantaloupes are one of my favorite fruits but only if they are sweet and soft. A firm cantaloupe can be ripe and still be firm, but the flavor of a cantaloupe gets sweeter and stronger as the insides soften.

The beautiful thing about a cantaloupe is that no matter when you pick it will continue to ripen, so it is not imperative that you look for a “ripe” one as much as you look for a well raised one.

Here’s how you do just that.

1: The outer skin of a cantaloupe should be thick, scarred netting-like.. The deeper and thicker the scars and netting the sweeter the fruit inside will be. A smooth skin cantaloupe will most likely not be as sweet, even when fully ripe, as one that looks like Freddy Krueger’s face.

2: The color of a cantaloupe should be a dark orange to beige- regardless of the color, the shade is more important; The darker the shade the sweeter the fruit. If there is green on the skin it is immature and you will have to wait days for it to be ready.

3: The outside of the cantaloupe should be firm to the squeeze.

4: There should be NO STEM attached. The spot where the stem was should be smooth and give way slightly when pressed.

5: Lastly, smell the melon. Smell it anywhere, but usually the stem area is best. You should be able to easily smell the distinctive aroma of a cantaloupe. If you cannot, the cantaloupe is either not ripe yet or it’s simply not going to be a sweet melon.

Honeydew melons are one of the hardest melons to detect when ripe. I am not the biggest fan of this melon mainly because, to me, even when ripe they are not as flavorful as a watermelon or a cantaloupe.

Follow these simple steps to pick the perfect Honeydew.

1: Like the watermelon, the honeydew should be symmetrical

2: Also like the watermelon the honeydew is mostly made of water and should be heavy for its size

3: Unlike the watermelon and the cantaloupe, the Honeydew should give a little when squeezed-meaning it should be firm but not hard.

4: When ripe a Honeydew will have fine “ridges” on its skin that can be detected with feeling the melon. The skin should be a consistent pale green color with a hint of yellow.

5: The stem area should give somewhat when pressed and it should be smooth.

6: Honeydews do not give off much fragrance but it is possible to catch a faint hint of the melon when sniffing the stem end if ripe.

Myth Buster #1: You can tell if a watermelon is ripe by “thumping it”.

Some say that if you thump a melon and it rings back with a hollow sound then it’s a ripe melon. A dull thud is supposed to indicate that the melon is immature.

The problem with this theory is that you will get BOTH sounds depending on where you “thumped” the melon regardless of if it is ripe or not.

Myth Buster #2: You cannot eat watermelon seeds and rinds

You may not want to, but yes you can. The rind of a watermelon is actually more nutritious than the flesh of the melon itself. The seeds can eaten without harm and they can even be roasted and salted as a snack.

As with anything that you might consider digesting that is unknown to you, one should always do research and consult a physician prior to partaking.

Notes

To achieve the full flavor of a Honeydew melon is to eat it at room temperature

Cantaloupe and Watermelon will ripen faster and become sweeter if you cut and remove from the rind and store in storage bags, free of air in the fridge a few days before eating

Uncut Melons can be stored at room temperature for up to 4-weeks or up to one week if cut and refrigerated. However, once they are cut they must be maintained at 41 degrees or lower. Ideally cut melons should be kept around 38-40 degrees.

Nutritional information

All melons are light in calories and loaded with different vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

The average slice of Watermelon (or a ½ up of the fleshy fruit) on average yields only 25 calories, no protein, 4-5 grams carbohydrates and absolutely no fat.

Watermelon is rich in vitamin C and lycopene (also found in Tomatoes and is reportedly beneficial in the fight against some cancers). Remember the little note about watermelons being 92 percent water? It’s the perfect fruit to replenish lost fluids due to hot weather.

Cantaloupes and Honeydews are no nutritional slouches either. An average serving of each will yield 30 calories, 7 to 8 grams of carbs, Honeydews have no protein while Cantaloupes offer 1 gram, and like watermelons each dish out absolutely no fat. Cantaloupes are high is vitamin A while both offer a healthy dose of vitamin C as well.

Enjoy your melon hunting!