It’s high melon season and fans are having a blast. As a dessert, as a snack or as an aperitif, cut or prepared with delight (gazpacho, skewer, port wine…), it accompanies us all summer long to hydrate us and bring us its good, very sweet and vitaminized flesh. Finally, that depends on whether we have chosen it well. Lost in the large shelves of the supermarket or in front of the colorful market stalls, it is not necessarily always easy to choose a green melon or a yellow melon that is as tasty as it is juicy. And sometimes, we fall completely off with a tasteless or really overripe fruit. So, discover here some tips to make the right choice and be sure to treat yourself every time.
1) Take a look at the label
In stores, the evocation of a Cavaillon melon or a Charentais melon tends to inspire confidence. But be careful that your Charente melon… does not come from Spain or Morocco. To support French trade and its quality products, choose a melon if possible. made in France. The Label Rouge will ensure you a melon full of flavor and having followed strict specifications.
2) Weigh different melon to choose it well
At equal size, always go for the heaviest part and weigh several to guide you in your choice. Indeed, the heavier a cantaloupe melon, the more we know that it is ripe and sweet.
3) Study the dress of the melon to choose it well
Whether the melon is smooth, velvety, grainy and more or less molded will not no difference in taste. On the other hand, its visual aspect can give us other more useful clues. For example, feel free to count the number of slices. When there is ten slices, you are guaranteed to buy a very sweet piece. For the rest, prefer a melon with stripes and colors well marked and contrasted. A fruit that has reached maturity will indeed be more colorful and will display beautiful dark green slices on pale green!
Finally, also check for suspicious stains. Each melon may have one on the face that was ground side. However, the presence of additional spots could indicate falls or shocks during transport. Undamaged fruit is preferable.
4) Trust your sense of smell: the unmistakable clue
Smelling the melon will tell you a lot about its maturity. A pleasant sweet smell is therefore generally a good sign. On the other hand, be careful to choose it fragrant, but not too much. Indeed, the more fragrant it is, the riper it is. Thus, an overly strong, sweet and even vaguely pungent smell may indicate that this gourd is far too ripe. If you do not intend to eat it very quickly, even during the day, it is better to abstain. Also note that it is at the level of the « pecou » (the small tail of the melon) that you have to feel it.
5) Take an interest in your pecou to choose the right melon
In a mature fruit, the peduncle tends to come off slightly. So do not hesitate to manipulate the pecou to check if it is flexible or ready to come off. You can also press lightly with your thumb right next to it. If the finger sinks, it means that this melon is ready to be eaten! A melon that is neither too me nor too firm to the touch will surely be perfect.
And if you prefer the yellow melon, how to choose it well?
The yellow melon is very different from the green melon. However, some criteria for choosing it are similar. Here’s how to choose well:
-The weight is also an infallible index. If you hesitate between two rooms, weigh them and take the heavier of the two. It will definitely be sweeter!
-Furthermore, here too, a crack in the pecou will be a good sign. If it seems ready to take off, It’s good. And if the peduncle has fallen off, check for a crack.
-In terms of appearance, know that a delicious and ripe canary melon will display a bark very dark yellow and a little wrinkled. Indeed, a very ripe yellow melon will be less smooth than a melon that has not yet reached maturity and will have a more marked hue.
-Finally, we will look for a fruit with a soft bark, a sign that the melon is ripe. It must not be too hard (unripe fruit) or soft (mouldy fruit). To check this, take the melon between both hands and gently press down on it with your thumbs.
The extra thing… Once your green or yellow melon has been chosen, remember to keep the seeds for the aperitif!
