How to choose a delicious melon?
Summer pleases not only with warmth, but also with a variety of healthy fruits and vegetables that cannot be found on shelves in winter. Melon also belongs to them. In order not to be disappointed in the purchased product when you come home, you need to know how to choose the right delicious melon.
First of all, it is better to buy melon from trusted suppliers selling in vegetable stores or in the market. Spontaneous markets along the road are not suitable for this purpose, since vegetables absorb exhaust gases and other harmful substances well. Such a melon will only harm the body.
Having decided on the place of purchase, you should carefully examine the melon and pay attention to such external signs:
- color and density of the peel;
- melon smell;
- weight and shape of the fetus;
- the condition of the peduncle.
Melon peel color and density
Ripe melon will be solid yellow (or orange). The spot on the side of the melon that touched the ground should also be yellow. If lighter tones prevail in the color of the spot, it means that the melon was picked before it had time to ripen.
It will not be superfluous to knock on the melon: the dull sound emitted when knocking on the hard peel indicates ripeness. But if the peel itself bends when pressed and is soft to the touch, it means that the melon has ripened too long ago. This is evidenced by the presence of cracks through which, moreover, various bacteria can penetrate.
Melon flavor
It is advisable to buy a melon on warm, even hot days. At elevated temperatures, the sweet, heady scent of ripe melon is felt better than in cool weather. If the sweetness of the aroma overpowers the smell of grass, the melon is still green and not suitable for consumption.
Weight and shape of the fetus
"Natural" melon, grown in the garden without the use of unlimited chemicals, weighs on average about 3 kilograms. If the scales show more, the melon is either imported or has been diligently processed. It is definitely not worth purchasing such a fruit, it is unlikely that it will be tasty.
Experienced melon lovers argue that they should also be selected based on their genus, since girl melons are tastier. If the melon has the shape of an oval, flatter at the bottom - this is a "girl", moreover, the side spot on such a melon will be larger and more distinct than on the "boys".
Stalk condition
When choosing a melon, special attention should be paid to the condition of the stalk. The delicious ripe melon is completely dry. If the tail is only slightly wilted and green, then the fruit itself will be tasteless, since it did not have time to ripen.
And the last tip: when choosing a melon, you should not buy cut fruits. The half wrapped in film may and will be tasty and ripe, but not the fact that it is useful. Through a dirty knife or unwashed hands of the seller, you can purchase an unpleasant surprise with the melon.