How can you tell if a melon is ripe and ready to eat?!
How can you tell if a melon is ripe and ready to eat?
Answers:
There is an old wive's tale that you can put a broom straw on the top of the melon - if it sits still it isn't ripe - if the straw spins - it is ripe. Having no experience with this I can't say if this works -
Instead you can test for ripeness using touch, sound, and smell (sometimes)
Picks up a melons and feel the weight - it should feel heavy, then slap it with an open palm. It should be tight and bouncy. A dead sound means it mushy. An over-the-hill melon sounds flappy like. A deeper thump is better that a less deep thump - it tells you there is juice - not just hard tight flesh.
The bottom of the melon - press with your thumb - if it gives slightly to the touch (only some varieties) that is a sign of ripeness. Smell that end - and see if you can get a sense of ripeness from the fragrance.
The bleached spot on a water melon that so many go by is important, but the color of it depends on the variety. It should be white or buttery yellow. If there is no spot that means it was ripened in a warehouse. The stem doesn’t really matter once the melon is picked.
The color of the melon is mostly a psychological plus because color does not necessarily denote sweetness.
Smell it, if it smells melony then it should be ready. if it has no smell give it a day or two
It should be firm, but give just a little to your touch.
Ace Rimmer, I love Red Dwarf. "Smoke me a kipper.."
It should be firm to touch, leave it in the fridge a bout a week then eat it its very refreshing on a hot day.
The very easiest and best way to pick out a perfect melon is to find one that is heavy for it's size. This tells you it is nice and juicy and ready to eat! Melons don't really ripen after picking from the vine, they just get mushy, so the fresher, the better!
You gently press into either end........
around the bit where the 'stalk' would have been.........
if the melon is slightly softere here, then your melon will be lovely and ripe
: )
If you are referring to a honeydew melon, the best way is to press around the base (where it's been cut off from the stem) and it should be firm but softish. Too hard and it'll be green, too soft and it's probably past it. A bit of trial and error until you get the 'feel' for it. If in doubt go for the firmer one as it can still ripen a bit.
Hope this helped.
Gently press the end where the stalk was, it should be soft for around an inch in diameter, any more and it'll be mush, it should also smell ripe, Melony and sweet. For water melon, scrape with your finger nail, if the skin beneath is very green rather than white, it will not be sweet, juicy or ripe enough.
mummy used to say...
smell the bottom of the melon, if you can smell the sweet fruit inside its ready!
and mummy is always right!
At the end of the melon where the stalk has been , holding the melon between two hands gently press with both thumbs. If the skin gives a little the flesh is ripe.
push the bit that is on the opposite side to the stalk area and if it 'gives' then it is ripe
With any fruit, the best way is to smell it. If it has little or no smell it is unripe or has been forced.