How to Choose the Perfect Melon

I’m not sure, but I think it’s against the law to go through an entire summer without eating watermelon--and that especially true this Fourth of July.  

Selecting Melons: The first step in getting a great melon is knowing how to pick it out. For cantaloupe, sniff  (yes, sniff) the stem end of melon. If it smells slightly of cantaloupe then it’s ripe. If there’s no sent then it’s not ripe, if there’s a strong sent then it’s over ripe.

Watermelon: You can thump it of you want to, but the best method is to look at the flower end of the melon. There is a dot/spot on the end of every melon. Pick a watermelon with a very small spot. The smaller the spot, the sweeter the melon.

Honeydew: Press on the melon and find one that is somewhat pliable. Whichever type of melon you choose, lightly scrub the outside of the melon before serving. 

A platter of a variety of melons is colorful and delicious. For a cookout, why not serve the melons in wedges so that the sections can be picked up by hand, eliminating the need for utensils? Fingers always make a good utensil. 

To make a watermelon basket, cut a small slice off of the bottom of the watermelon so that it will sit flat on a platter. Cut 2 sections out of the top of the melon leaving a 2-3” piece of rind going across the top making a handle. Don’t use the handle for lifting your melon.

On the off chance that you break your handle by cutting through it, pulling on it or having a gale force wind blow it off (You never know what might happen.), don’t worry about it. These things happen. They happen to me on a regular basis. Just cut it all the way off and call it a watermelon bowl. Problem solved. 

Cut the water melon out of the rind, staying far enough away from the rind to avert any other disasters. 

Cube, or melon ball (more trouble, but definitely cute), your watermelon along with some cantaloupe, honeydew or other melon, and lightly toss together. Add some berries if desired. 

Refrigerate fruit until ready to serve. Also, refrigerate basket/bowl separately until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, place cubed melon into basket and garnish with sprigs of mint if desired.

For a great melon dessert option, serve cantaloupe with vanilla ice cream. No, I’m not kidding.

Cut up cantaloupe in bite-size pieces and serve over vanilla ice cream. 

Or, my favorite way, cut a small cantaloupe in half or quarters. Cut small slice off bottom of cantaloupe so that it can sit flat on a plate, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and garnish with mint sprig. 

Grab a melon and enjoy this healthy, beat-the-heat food.