Late in the summer, when you’ve stood before the fruit stand wondering what to buy, you have likely faced this dilemma: The melons are stacked up high, all roughly the same shape and size, heavy for their roundness. What’s going to be juicy and delicious? Or what won’t be wet cardboard?
It’s a high-stakes proposition, because unlike the banana, which will continue ripening on kitchen counter after picking, a melon doesn’t stop ripening once it’s been severed from the vine. Its sugar clock stops ticking.
How to Choose the Best Melon
Knowing a bit about the types can help, more then simply selecting the fruit that weigh most heavily in your hand. Your first line of defense: The chart above breaks it down into rind color and texture. A cantaloupe have an orange interior, a tan-colored rind and may be netted. Sweet-smelling at the stem scar is a sign that the sugars has concentrated enough to separate from the vine. A honeydew will be pale green (and perhaps even smooth-skinned) on the exterior, and you’ll want to test for a little give at the blossom end. Watermelons are another story altogether; you’re looking for a creamy yellow ground spot where the watermelon was sitting in contact with soil.
Once you match the rind to the type, you know what cue to listen to when it’s time to harvest. You will no longer press a cantaloupe or smell a watermelon, which are common mistakes that lead to disappointment.
But sweetness isn’t subjective; it’s also a measurable characteristic of different melon types. This was represented by Brix, a measurement of the amount of soluble solids in juice, and those numbers can range widely (see infographic). Highly sugary types, such as Sprite or the specialty muskmelon known as a Charentais, hit a whopping 15 degrees Brix. On the opposite end of the spectrum is something like a Casaba melon, hovering around 9 degrees Brix. This is not a defect. What you give up in sugar, the Casaba compensates for in longer keeping qualities and a mellower, almost flowery flavor. It is a true storekeeper’s choice, one that remains in good shape throughout the late part of the season after other melons are long gone.
When selecting your melon, you’re frequently sacrificing either an initial dose of intense sweetness or extended versatility. You also want to take size into consideration. If it’s a big watermelon (like the Sugar Baby or Crenshaw watermelons), it can weighs as much as nine pounds (see visual comparison above). In that case, look for solid vines and handle the melon with care at market. Don’t drop it, because it bruises easy. At the other extreme, the Sprite melon only weighs 1.5 pounds, just enough for a single serving, and ideal for a small garden plot.
How do you eat such a melon? How do you store such a melon? Size alters everything. A little melon is a splurge, an impulse buy. A big melon is a weekend project.
These fruits require heat and some waiting. To get them growing, most varieties wants a minimum 70+ degree soil temperature at germination and a frost-free period of between 70-100 days. They grow from seedlings to vines, then to flowers with help from bees, which are very important for fruit set. If fruit doesn’t pollinate well, it may be misshapen or smaller than expected.
Knowing when to pick: the clues are subtle but important! Harvest comes when the fruit is full-grown but also ripe, so you don’t want to pick if it’s still rock hard and green. Once picked, that melon won’t continue to sweeten up. Look for one of three things: the ground spot change, the aroma, or the slip.
And then there’s how you treat them once they’re in your possession. To avoid introducing any soil bacteria on the rind, wash those bad boys off before slicing. For best quality, cool the fruits immediately after picking. However, first allow muskmelons to ripen fully at room temperature so they develops their aroma. Failing to do this could of slow down the melons’ flavor development when chilled prematurely. It is a little bit different than, but it is very important in making your melon experience more than just an okay snack and closer to pure perfection.
At the end of the day, the greatest melon is the melon you choose with purpose: honoring its unique set of clues instead of guessing. You want sweetness. Peace of mind? It is also essential.