You may have noticed abizarre summer phenomenon taking place in grocery stores. People standing in the produce section with afar off look in their eyes,picking up the melons, rattling and banging on them, smelling and poking them. You've probably even been thisperson and you may or may not have known what you were listening for. We're here to help. Allow us to demystify the art of picking the perfect melon.
1) Look for a melon that feels heavy for its size.
2) Make sure there's no stem. If the stem is still attached that indicates the melon is not mature!
3) Push on the stem end to ensure it's soft, but not mushy.
4) Smell the stem end to see if it smells sweet.
You can use these four cues to help you pick out any variety of melon. They are universal signs that your melon will be delicious. It's not always easy to smell a cold melon though, and trying to gauge the weight can be tedious. Luckily, each variety of melon has its own set of tells that can make the job easier.
Watermelon
1) Thump it with your palm. If you hear a thud, it's ripe!
2)Check where the watermelon rested on the soil. It's ripe if there is a yellow or cream-colored spot.
Cantaloupe
1) Give it a thump. If it's ripe, it will sound hollow.
2) Check under the netting. If the rind is yellow, it's ripe!
Honeydew
1) Look for a creamy yellow color. Avoid any that are green or extremely soft.
2) Shake the honeydew. If you can hear the seeds rattling, you've got a ripe melon.
