Selecting watermelon is an educated guess

Selecting watermelon is an educated guess
                        

Believe it or not, some people are afraid of buying a watermelon. Their fear is twofold. First, they may not know how to choose a ripe watermelon and are afraid to purchase one that is neither ripe nor sweet enough. Second, some of the watermelons are very large, and eating it before it spoils may be an issue.

If you see one watermelon, you haven’t seen them all. There are more than 1,200 watermelon varieties worldwide. They vary in size, color and degrees of sweetness.

A watermelon cut and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator is good for five days. A whole uncut watermelon can last at room temperature for about a week and in the fridge for about two weeks.

Purchasing the perfect watermelon has turned into a science, an art form, folklore and a lucky guess. There are many suggested things to do and look for when considering one.

People who cut fruit as part of their job report most melons look great on the outside, but beauty is sometimes skin deep. A farmer suggested if you buy four melons, one of them will be good. Be prepared to lose the watermelon selecting game. Purchasing melons can be a hit or miss situation.

Knocking, slapping or thumping is a way to gauge ripeness. Do not be bashful in the store or market. It should make a crisp, sharp ring, not too high pitched. A high pitch means the melon is immature while a deep, low-toned clunk is preferred. No hollow sound means it is mushy on the inside.

There are all sorts of melon thumpers out there. One method is to pat one side of the melon and feel for the vibration on the other side. When you spank a melon, it should say “thunk,” not “thank.” Just thump it and choose the one with the lowest tone. It’s not scientific, but it is fun. Accurate hearing is necessary for this method; poor hearing can skew the results.

To have the best chance of winning a sweet, ripe watermelon, look for a creamy yellow field spot on the side that rested on the ground while growing. The creamier the color and the larger the spot, the longer the melon spent ripening on the vine and the more flavorful it will be. Watermelons do not ripen after being picked.

The skin of the watermelon also should be dark and dull, not pale and shiny. If it has stripes, they should be a deep, dark green and pale yellow. Find one with a dark stem. Sugar spots on the rind form during pollination — the more webbing you see, the sweeter the fruit.

The secret to finding a ripe watermelon is in the large yellow field spot with webbing marks. Basically, a heavy, ugly watermelon improves the chances of finding a ripe, sweet watermelon. White spots indicate it was picked too soon. A bland, bitter, tasteless melon can be put out for the birds and critters to enjoy.

Bobbie Randall is a registered, licensed dietitian. Email her at bobbierandallrd@gmail.com.


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