Thumping Watermelons!

picture from www.watermelon.org

 

Watermelon is a favorite summertime treat but do you ever hesitate to pick one out?  Here is are some tips to help you pick the perfect melon:

1. Sound.  Hold your melon with one hand and listen to it by thumping, tapping, slapping or rapping it with your other hand.  A great melon should carry a deep vibration and have a “full” sound.One person described the favored sound to be  “more like a tenor than a bass!” A melon that has a dull “thud” sound is not ripe.  In fact, a deep hollow sound may indicate the melon has a “hollow heart”.  This is a very disappointing melon to cut into.The center is separated into chunks, and the flesh is clearly overripe and mealy.   
2. Appearance.  Look on the underbelly for something called the “golden spot”, the “sweet spot” or the “field spot”.These terms indicate how the melon grew in the field as it lay in the sun. A yellow spot is better than a white spot and a white spot is better than no spot. 
3. Avoid a pigtail.  A great melon should be picked when it is ripe and not before.  If there is a existence of a green “stem” still on the melon this can indicate a melon has been picked before it’s time and therefore not as sweet.

The National Watermelon promotion board also has some other fun facts, pictures and games to check out on the following website:  www.watermelon.org