It's well known in our family that watermelon is Art's favorite fruit. Whenever watermelon season starts up, Art will be first in line at the first watermelon sale choosing his fruit as carefully as he would selecting an automobile.
I love seeing him at the pen of watermelons, often discussing the best way to choose one with other watermelon aficionados.
I do believe his love of watermelons came quite naturally since his dad also loved watermelons.
Here is Art on the Big Island with his dad in 1972. His dad was the give-his-shirt-off-his-back-to-help-somebody sort of fellow. I'm sure he gave his watermelon secrets to anybody who might ask.
When our daughter, Tiffany was born, Art introduced her to watermelon quite early. She was a little under a year old here.
Then Jon was born he would learn to enjoy watermelon too.
Here's Tiffany a little older and still loving her watermelon with her surrogate uncle, auntie and baby, Jon.
So here are Art's secrets.
Drum roll....
1. Look for the yellow patch under the watermelon. If it's too white or mostly green, the fruit was probably picked too soon.
2. Look for a heavy (juicy) watermelon.
3. Try to find one with a green stem which may show that it's fresher.
Art once did an experiment where he bought two watermelons of the same size using his criteria. The only difference was that one had a hollow sound and the other a firm thud when tapped. As he expected, both were equally sweet. Only an engineer would go that far to test a theory or was it just an excuse to buy an extra melon?
After all this.... I would say you'll probably get a great watermelon 75% of the time.
And now... the sad, tragic part (as far as Art is concerned). When Tiffany grew up she somehow became allergic to all melons. She even went to an allergist. What the heck? Art could not believe it. A child of his allergic to watermelons???
Ah well..
So does anybody know how to choose a good cantaloupe?
I love seeing him at the pen of watermelons, often discussing the best way to choose one with other watermelon aficionados.
I do believe his love of watermelons came quite naturally since his dad also loved watermelons.
Here is Art on the Big Island with his dad in 1972. His dad was the give-his-shirt-off-his-back-to-help-somebody sort of fellow. I'm sure he gave his watermelon secrets to anybody who might ask.
When our daughter, Tiffany was born, Art introduced her to watermelon quite early. She was a little under a year old here.
Then Jon was born he would learn to enjoy watermelon too.
Here's Tiffany a little older and still loving her watermelon with her surrogate uncle, auntie and baby, Jon.
So here are Art's secrets.
Drum roll....
1. Look for the yellow patch under the watermelon. If it's too white or mostly green, the fruit was probably picked too soon.
2. Look for a heavy (juicy) watermelon.
3. Try to find one with a green stem which may show that it's fresher.
Art once did an experiment where he bought two watermelons of the same size using his criteria. The only difference was that one had a hollow sound and the other a firm thud when tapped. As he expected, both were equally sweet. Only an engineer would go that far to test a theory or was it just an excuse to buy an extra melon?
After all this.... I would say you'll probably get a great watermelon 75% of the time.
And now... the sad, tragic part (as far as Art is concerned). When Tiffany grew up she somehow became allergic to all melons. She even went to an allergist. What the heck? Art could not believe it. A child of his allergic to watermelons???
Ah well..
So does anybody know how to choose a good cantaloupe?
Such a cute babyface (Art, not Tiffany). :)
ReplyDeleteOh, getting back to melons ... I have seen people smell the cantaloupe before choosing. Not sure for what, though.
I still have a problem with the mustache, but I have a feeling he's never going to shave it off.
DeleteI've never found a good checklist for guaranteeing a good melon. If it looks okay, I buy it and cross my fingers. Sometimes they are good, sometimes they aren't as sweet. I take what I get and try again another time. I'm pretty casual about fruit selection.
ReplyDeleteI wish I knew, the stores here are just getting them in, they have to travel a lonnnng way to us but i think its hit and miss, I know my Dad always thumped them but I don't know what he was listening for,
ReplyDeleteah cantaloupe-has to be in season-yellowish in color, no green and lots of luck...lol!
ReplyDeleteMy hubby can pick a good cantaloupe, but I do think a lot of it is hit and miss. Some people sniff at the stem spot, but I can't seem to smell anything! :-)
ReplyDeleteIf you can't smell anything, walk away. The cantaloupe won't be good.
DeleteWatermelons command the same respect at our house, with another twist. Grandkids get to stand at the deck rail and throw rinds into the woods.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. Hope to see you again.
I like watermelon. but love a good cantaloupe. Cantaloupe need to be yellowish and starting to soften, and a ripe one should have a fragrance, but it may be too subtle to smell. It's mostly luck.
ReplyDeleteMy kids never learned to like melons of any kind. Sad.
I have the hardest time knowing exactly when to cut the honeydew or cantaloupe. Cantaloupes sometimes go from green to over ripe.
DeleteRegular watermelons take up too much space in the fridge so we don't buy them. We buy the smaller round Thai melons instead. These are sometimes rotten though. It is a guessing game. I am not fond of cantaloupes.
ReplyDeleteI also love watermelon. My favorite is a good sweet yellow melon. Haven't had one in years. Can't find the yellow ones thse days, only the red ones.
ReplyDeleteMy family are all watermelon lovers so I will pass Art's (scientific?) tips along. I always smell cantelope, but I'm not sure what I am smelling for :) It is usually hit and miss for me.
ReplyDeleteDavid had an allergic reaction to cantaloupe he ate at a restaurant. After that, I only bought organic cataloupe or grew my own Charentis melons, which he can eat. I am convinced the chemicals used on melons are the problem for some people. Only buy organic melons is my motto. Dianne
ReplyDeleteThe allergist told Tif that she is allergic to the pollen. She is supposed to be able to eat melons if they're frozen. I have no idea why. She won't touch them at all though. It makes her lips swell up. Pollen in the fruit? I don't get it.
DeleteI sometimes think it's just the luck of the draw when it comes to choosing melons!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the tip. It sure will come in handy the next time I choose a watermelon. I usually choose the heaviest thinking it will be the juiciest (like picking oranges).
ReplyDeleteThe other day on July 4, we were on the road passing a huge truckload of watermelons. I told husband, I wonder where the truck is going because everyone should have bought their watermelons for their outdoor picnics by now. Then a hilarious thought crossed my mind. I told him I wonder if there has been a movie scene where a truckload of watermelon overturns and all the watermelons roll onto the road. Then I thought, it must be neat being a movie producer or writer where you can imagine all kinds of funny scenarios and work it into script. I'm sure that would not be too funny to Art lol
L. from W.
Oh goodness! That would be a horror movie for Art. :-)
DeleteAnon, When I was growing up, we had a truck turn over and all its contents spill out. There were nothing but "Little Lulu" comic books all over the street. Everybody in Dobbs Ferry, New York from that era (about 1951 or so?) remembers that incident.
DeleteI'm another anonymous for the time being, as it's easier to make my comment. But I'm signng my name. Henry Hank Chapin
Signing in as Anonymous is perfectly fine with me so long as I know it's you. :-) I'm glad this is an easier option for you, Hank.
Deleteoh, Art would be so displeased with me as i hate watermelon & cantaloupe... yuk... i've heard tapping helps decide what one is best to get though (for both watermelon & cantaloupe). i'm sorry Tiffany is allergic to melons now. i'm sure her growing up liking them and now not being able to eat them makes it hard on her. hope all is well. have a great day~
ReplyDeleteSummer here sees a lot of watermelon stands on the intercity roads. Entire farmer families manage big stalls, and a lady once told me, that one should judge a watermelon by (a) Patting thewatermelon and hearing the sound. (b) Then you pat you own chest and stomach and listen to that sound. The watermelon that when patted sounds like your stomach sound is the one you buy. :-)
ReplyDeleteToo funny! Art liked the tapping on the stomach method... not that he'd stand beside the watermelon pen tapping on his tummy though.
DeleteSweet pics;
ReplyDeletethanks for the advice, Kay!
Enjoy Your Day-
Aloha from Waikiki
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Allergies come and go. My father's asthma disappeared after it seemed to be a defining, negative part of his life. So, your daughter might want to test the waters every now and then, or test the watermelons anyway.
ReplyDeleteA football coach I know worked his team hard on a hot day and then, at the end of practice, had them charge up a hill. What do you know? On the downside of the hill there were a whole bunch of watermelons, enough for the whole team, cut and ready to go. Several players told me the story with great relish, as a memorable high point.
And then there was my cousin, who was 7 years older than I. She taught me how to spit watermelon seeds with alarming accuracy. She was sort of a Lucy-tpe girl from the Peanuts cartoons, a real pain. I think she spit seeds at me it to keep me in line. But I learned how to do it from her. You don't really spit them in the disgusting fashion, you forcibly eject them between the teeth with a a slight tongue motion. They zoom right out of your mouth and land with deadly accuracy from three feet away, which is about the width of a picnic table. ---Henry Hank Chapin
Too funny about the seed spitting. I'm glad they invented Seedless. Hmmm... would this be a GMO fruit then?
DeleteI used to be allergic to shrimp after my son was born and now I can eat it. I don't know when I suddenly wasn't allergic to it anymore.
For the two of us now we don’t buy a whole watermelon, we just buy a half one or even a quarter. That way it is easier to see if they are nice and red. But I’ll try to remember what you said if I buy a whole one.
ReplyDeleteFor cantloupe, be sure it smells like a cantaloupe with firm netting. I get some strange looks as I smell a few melons. Lots of times I just walk away w/o buying.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the advice. I'll be sticking my nose to the melon next time we're at the market.
DeleteI never know how to pick one so this gives me a chance...allergic to watermelon...wow...
ReplyDeleteLook at all the comments. :) My friend the fruit and veggie vendor says smell is the key. If it smells good, like a ripe melon, then it is ripe.
ReplyDeleteI never knew all this...I just try to find one that looks good. LOL! I never used to like watermelon when I was a kid, but now I love them!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen anyone buy a whole watermelon here in the UK, though they are sometimes available. Mostly you see them already cut into slices. I've tried it a few times, but it seems like a lot of fuss over nothing much. Perhaps you need to eat them fresh to get the full impact.
ReplyDeleteI do think it does taste better fresh on a hot day. People here buy whole watermelons more than cut up. Maybe that's why a lot of people have two refrigerators. And yes, we do too.
DeleteI know exactly how to pick a great melon--stand back and let beautiful wife Sandy analyze the possibilities and select one. Her success record is amazing. I have no idea how she does it, but I'm going to send her Art's pointers to see if anything matches.
ReplyDeleteI love watermelon but my spouse does not so there is no sense in buying a whole melon just for me. I did learn from my father to take a slice of watermelon and cut out the heart. Eat the rest and save the heart for last so you end up with the tastiest piece. Yes, I can select cantaloupe and always manage to get a good one. Press the bottom of the melon lightly with your thumb and if you feel a slight give (not mushy just slight) it will be a ripe one.
ReplyDelete