Step-by-step instructions on how to choose the right melon: useful tips and life hacks for finding the most delicious fruit
Late summer and early autumn are the most productive times of the year. Ripe vegetables, fruits and melons appear on sale at an affordable price. This period is ideal for buying fragrant melons. In this article, you will find tips and tricks for choosing ripe fruits, depending on the variety, appearance and aroma.
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How to choose a good melon
To get ripe and sweet melon, we recommend stocking up on the knowledge of how to determine the quality of the product by external signs, smell and taste and not throw money away.
Appearance
What does a ripe fruit look like? When choosing a melon, pay attention to the shape. It is different for each individual variety - round or oval. The main thing is that there are no irregularities and dents on it. Such damage indicates non-observance of the rules for the transportation and storage of melons. Green blotches and uneven color are signs of unripe fruits.
Ripe melon is identified by dry scales... If they are easily peeled off, then everything is in order, take the fruit without fear. Examine the fetus for cracks and cuts. In this case, you can be sure that dirt and germs have not got inside. GOST allows healed scratches.
Smell
The melon smell never fails. Ripe fruits exude a sweetish vanilla, pear or honey aroma. Therefore, if the melon looks ripe, but does not smell, put it back.
Sound
To correctly identify a good, ripe melon by sound, click your fingers on the surface. If you hear a ringing, it means that it is not ripe; a dull sound indicates that the fruit is ready to eat.
Tail
A dry tail and spout indicate that the melon was harvested ripe. If they are green, it means that the fruits ripened in artificial conditions.
You've probably heard that melons are divided into male and female fruits. How to determine this? Pay attention to the stem: if it is dry and thick, then you have a "girl" in front of you. It is these fruits that have sweet honey pulp.
Other criteria
Many are accustomed to buying melons directly from the truck, thinking that the fruits have just been picked. In fact, this is not the case. Often, such sellers do not have the appropriate documents and product quality certificates. The melon peel accumulates harmful substances, heavy metals from the air. And with this storage method, this is inevitable.
Buy melon only at official outlets - in supermarkets and markets. The larger the store, the more thoroughly the products are checked.
Important! At points of sale on the market, ask for trade authorization and laboratory test certificates.
Often on the market, we are offered to taste a piece of melon in order to appreciate its taste. This approach to sales is hazardous to health. There can be no question of any sterility and hygiene of the seller. Just imagine how a person cuts off a piece of dirty fruit with unwashed hands. Upset stomach, and in the worst case, salmonellosis.
When growing melons, nitrates and toxic substances are used, which accelerate ripening. Such fruits do not have a bright aroma; green blotches are noticeable on the skin. If, after cutting, you notice seeds of a gray shade, it is better to refuse to use the melon. Moreover, its taste will definitely not please you. To prevent nitrates from entering the body, do not eat the flesh that is adjacent to the skin. After all, it is in it that harmful substances accumulate.
The nuances of choosing a melon depending on the variety
There are a large number of varieties of melons, but the most common on sale are Torpedo, Ethiopian and Kolkhoznitsa. They are better than others in storage and transport. In the south of Russia, the varieties Galilei, Kantalupa, Altayskaya, Turkmenka are grown. Which one is tastier? It's hard to answer because each variety has its own advantages.
Collective farmer choosing a melon, give preference to small fruits. Ripe fruits have a strong aroma and moderate sweetness. A dry tail and yellow-orange skin are signs of a ripe fruit.
Torpedo variety enjoys immense popularity due to its dense structure and pronounced taste. How long should a torpedo be? Ripe fruits have a pale yellow rind. The larger the specimen, the sweeter the pulp. The aroma of this melon is not as strong as, for example, that of the Collective Farm Woman.
Melon Ethiopian goes on sale in mid-August. Examine the skin to pick a delicious fruit. It should not have dark spots, dents or other damage. Ripe fruits are soft inside, have an orange-yellow color, a rough surface with a coarse mesh. A dull sound when tapped indicates that the fruit is ripe. Press with your finger in the area of the stalk: in a ripe Ethiopian it is soft, in an immature one it is hard.
Variety Turkmenka Is a medium-sized fruit with a yellow skin and a network of cracks on the surface. The melon ripens in mid-autumn. Honey aroma, dry tail, bright color and dull sound indicate ripeness. The surface should be firm and not be pressed by your finger.
Read also:
How to make delicious and healthy melon juice at home.
Top 8 best recipes for cooking melon in syrup for the winter in cans.
Is it possible to eat a melon on an empty stomach: benefits, harms and contraindications.
Life hacks for choosing a good melon
When buying melons, use some tips to avoid disappointment:
- Smell the fruit. Ripe melon exudes a sweet aroma. If there is no smell, don't buy.
- Choose melon in retail outlets that are located at a distance from the roadway. The peel of a good product is evenly colored, without greens. A hard melon is unripe, and too soft is overripe.
- Examine the fruit from all sides. Brown or gray spots, cracks, and dents should alert you.
- Hold the fruit in your hands. Weightiness indicates maturity.
- After cutting, inspect the seeds. If they are easy to separate from the pulp, the product is ready to eat.
Conclusion
Choosing a delicious melon is a delicate matter, because the dense rind hides the juicy pulp. Try to buy melon during the high season, namely from mid-August. During this period, it is more difficult to buy unripe fruit.
Avoid spontaneous points of sale, take into account the rules that we talked about, and enjoy the juicy and healthy pulp.