The scent
The tastiest melons are the ones that smell good! If you walk past the fruit and vegetable section and are bewitched by the smell of melons, we advise you to give in to this temptation! An odourless melon is a bland melon, with little or no flavour. The first criterion should be how it smells.
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The stalk
The melon’s stalk, the small tail at the end, is a guarantee of freshness. If the stalk is stuck against the melon, it means it's not fresh. On the other hand, if the stalk starts to peel off and twirl, your melon’s ripeness is likely to be just right. Keep an eye out!
The firmness
We often tend to think of hard fruit as fruit that is not yet ripe and very young, but for melons, the opposite is true. A firm melon is one that is ready to eat. Conversely, a melon that is too soft is too ripe. This kind of melon is perfect for ice cream or smoothie, but not to be eaten as a slice.
The weight
Forget about those cute little melons! If you want to have a delicious melon, it should be big and heavy. A heavy melon means that it is tasty and full of sugar. So watch out for the weight!
The stripes
When choosing a quality melon, check out its style! Even, attractive stripes can say a lot about a melon’s taste, so choose a colourful striped melon!
Finally, if you have the option at the market or shop, choose a French Charentais melon. It will be of better quality, its taste will be better, and it will certainly be less loaded with pesticides.
What to do if your melon is not yet ripe?
There is a very simple trick to ripen a melon quickly: leave it at room temperature in a paper bag for 2 to 3 days. The melon will release a gas known as ethylene, which will accelerate the ripening process. Once these few days have passed, you can then keep it in a cool place.
The best way to cook with melon?
There is no lack of recipes using melon! Here are a few easy and tasty ideas to treat yourself and your guests:
- A melon salad with parma ham
- Melon skewers with goat cheese
- Melon and cucumber tartar
- Melon skewers with mozzarella cheese
- Melon gazpacho with mint or basil
- Melon ice cream
- Melon and lime smoothie
- Melon and watermelon juice
Bon appétit!
