Forgot your password? Don't have an account? Sign up today. Never created a password? Create one here. Already have an account? Log in here. Thanks, but no thanks. No, thanks I'm already a PureWow fan. No, thanks I hate pretty things. This is one time when you have full permission to touch and even sniff the fruit at the grocery store. Because scent and feel are the two best indicators of a ripe cantaloupe.
Smell: A ripe cantaloupe will have a sweet, almost musky aroma. Feel: Stay away from melons that have any mushy spots, which are signs of rot. A good cantaloupe will feel firm but not rock-hard. Gently press the blossom end and it should give ever so slightly. The most flavorful cantaloupes will also feel heavy for their size and sound hollow and solid when tapped.
Now get it in the fridge, stat. A ripe melon can be kept in the refrigerator for up to five days before eating. Just keep it on the countertop at room temperature for two or three days, checking daily for progress. Other varieties include Hymark and Mission. Color and, more importantly, fragrance — not softness at the stem end — indicates ripeness. A cantaloupe with a golden color and a ripe, sweet aroma is going to be a ripe, sweet melon.
For some reason, cantaloupes with tighter netting seem to have a firmer, crisper texture and cut better than those with the looser, more open netting. If the stem end is rough with portions of the stem remaining, the melon was harvested prematurely. A shriveled, flabby, or badly bruised product signals poor quality. Also avoid melons with growth cracks, mottling or decay mold or soft sunken spots on the surface.
A mature cantaloupe will be well-netted or webbed with a smoothly rounded, depressed scar at the stem end. A cantaloupe on the green side will ripen if you leave it out at room temperature until any green undertones in the rind have turned golden, and the melon has a rich smell. When ready to eat, cantaloupe will take on a yellow background appearance, acquire an aroma and soften.
Because cantaloupe is shipped in a firm state to avoid damage, it usually needs a few days at room temperature to soften and become juicier. Cut melons, of course, have to be refrigerated, but wrap them tightly in plastic to preserve moisture. Salvaging a Cantaloupe Just Past Its Prime If you catch a cantaloupe slightly beyond the point where you want to eat it straight — it has no bad smells, obvious signs of rotting or mold growth, but the flesh has gotten a bit too soft — you don't have to toss it.
Add it to a smoothie. Blend it with lemonade or ginger ale for a unique, refreshing beverage. Puree it with a splash of lime juice and a little sugar and use it as a dessert sauce or freeze it into ice pops. Puree it with juice from three limes per whole cantaloupe and with honey and cardamom to taste, refrigerate it and serve it as a chilled soup garnished with mint leaves. How to Tell if a Cantaloupe Is Good Taking an extra minute or two to select a ripe cantaloupe is well worthwhile.
A ripe melon gives off a sweet scent even through its rind. If there's no smell or just a faint one, the melon isn't ripe yet; if there's an astringent or sour smell, the cantaloupe is already spoiling. If a cantaloupe is ripe, some of its seeds bounce around inside when you give it a shake. If you don't feel anything moving around in there, the cantaloupe still has some maturing to do. A cantaloupe that's ready to eat gives a little when you press down on the stem area at the top.
A completely firm melon is as of yet unripe, while one that's too yielding is on the decline. How to Store Cantaloupes Properly storing cantaloupes is an important part of getting to enjoy them at peak ripeness and quality. How to Tell if Your Cantaloupe is Ripe. How to Ripen a Honeydew Melon. When to Throw Away Pineapple.
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