As we get closer to the 4th of July, Raychel and I had to have a talk about some watermelon tips and tricks!
I grew up in East Texas where my Daddy grew Watermelons and then sold them on the side of the road. As a matter of fact, I was always told he had to sell a whole trailer full of them to pay for the doctor bill before my mom could bring me home from the hospital!
I could tell you so many stories related to seed spitting competitions, watermelon picking time, and family get-togethers. Every time we had a summer party or a church “dinner on the ground” there was always a row of ice cream churners (making heaven) and cut watermelons with a salt shaker within reach.
Well, as you get ready for this weekend, here are a few tips and tricks to help you pick the sweetest watermelon ever!
- Thump it! That’s right. Use your knuckles and rap them on that baby. If you want to keep on rapping on it because it’s making a noteworthy sound, then it is probably a good one. Watermelons that sound dull and flat are just that – dull and flat. But, if you aren’t into music, go on to number 2.
- Check for the yellow spot. On the bottom of the melon, you should see yellow. The pale yellow area on the bottom is called the field spot. As it rests in the field and gets ripe and the bottom loses its green stripes and is replaced with solid yellow. So, the darker the yellow spot the sweeter the melon.
- Does it have “barnacles”? These are what appears to be dirty areas? Barnacles (as I call them- which is in no way a scientific term) are actually caused when the melon is so sweet that the sugar is seeping out! Too many, and it may be over-ripe but a few are always a good thing.
- Don’t look for the shiny one! Think about it… When a melon is young and hasn’t had a chance to ripen, that’s when it is shiny and new. Pick the one that has a little duller hue. Sometimes older is better.
- Need help lifting it? That is a good thing. The heavier the melon the more water inside which equates to a juicer melon. So heavy is good!
I hope these little tips help you pick a wonderful melon! Happy 4th of July and happy summer!
Enjoy!
Maurie Kay
