Soon melons will show up in the marketplace. How will you choose the good ones? By the color? By the smell? You don’t know about any technique and you end up buying a tasteless fruit? Here are five rules to choose the best melon.
1. Weigh the melons in your hand
This technique is always useful. The heavier the fruit is, the sweeter and juicier it is.
2. Check the stalk
If you are growing your own melons, make sure not to pick them until their small stalk is dry and the melons detach easily.
3. Smell the melons
The technique of smelling melons is the best. However, make sure that the smell is not overbearing, as in this case the fruit may be overripe. Instead, choose a melon with a light, sweet smell.
4. Don’t buy soft melons
Don’t let yourself tricked by the sellers, who may tell you that melons are soft because they are ripe. In the case of every sort of melon, the skin has to be firm. If a melon is knocked during transportation, its flesh may spoil or it may become tasteless.
5. Check the stripes
No, this is not a joke. If you are buying a striped melon, you have to make sure the stripes are well-pronounced, as this is the sign of the most flavorful melons.
The not so good news is that the best melons are harvested during mid-summer; melons picked early in the summer don’t taste as good as later ones.
If you buy many melons, don’t keep them in the fridge or in a plastic bag. Instead, chill them one by one just before you plan to eat them.