Since melons have a hard exterior, it is often hard to tell
whether they will be good or not.
Watermelons are especially hard to read.
A good rule of thumb to follow with melons (or any fruit for that
matter) is to buy them in season and at a low price. The lower the price of fruit – the better
that fruit will taste. Out-of-season
fruit is usually more expensive and not as flavorful.
Cantaloupe/Muskmelon:
Cantaloupes are the easiest of the melons to spot a ripe one – they give
off an aroma that’s hard to miss.
Melons that look greenish are not yet ripe. But if you buy a not-quite-ripe
cantaloupe, let it set out and ripen for a few days. Look for the most equally rounded, or
symmetrical, melon.
Honeydew:
My mom and I joke that we have only tasted good honeydew twice in our
lives. That said – delicious honeydew
is hard to find, but a little searching reaps a sweet, succulent
melon. Look for honeydew that is
slightly yellowed with a little bit of spotting on the rind. Honeydew that feels sticky to the touch
is ripe and ready. Smell the honeydew.
If it has a wonderful, sweet scent – it will surely be delicious.
Watermelon:
The perfect watermelon provides quite the summer treat, cooling us down
after a hot summer day. Watermelons
are quite the fruit purchase – what other fruits weigh up to fifteen
pounds each! Select a watermelon
that has few bruises or cuts to the flesh.
A good watermelon is dense with water, so a smaller-looking
watermelon that is heavier than a larger-looking one will be a better
choice. Make sure the watermelon
has a yellow belly, meaning the watermelon was sun-ripened.
Great Grapes
Whether you like tart green grapes or sweet red or black
grapes, pick bunches that are plump and picturesque enough to be featured in a
Renaissance still-life. Grapes should
feel firm, not soft. The skins should be
tight on the flesh of the grapes, not saggy or wrinkly.