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Simplicity Gourmet brings you ‘Pick of the Patch’ – how to pick your tastiest fruits and veggies from your local grocer or farmer’s market.

PICK OF THE PATCH: the Honeydew

It’s time for the last of my series of blogs on how to pick the perfect summer melons.

We have conquered the Granddaddy: the Watermelon and I hope you have had success in choosing this one and impressing your friends and family with its sweet, juicy, yummy goodness! Then, I examined how to choose The “First Lady” of Melons: the Cantaloupe.

Today, I want to finish with telling you the inside tips on how to choose The “Lottery Queen” of melons: the Honeydew. When you get lucky enough to have picked a sweet one with a great firm texture out of about 40 in the bin, you feel as though you have won the lottery!

Here is what my Internet research turned up…Smell the end where the vine was attached, remember this is called “the disk.” If it is fragrant and smells like the fruit, this is a good sign and one of the most oblivious that it should be ripe. Next, you can pick up the honeydew and give it a shake, it should rattle from loose seeds. I think this one is rather difficult. I don’t think I have ever heard the seeds rattle. Hum…maybe I just don’t have an ear for call of the honeydew. This must surely be an acquired talent our grandmother’s had!

Next, look for spidery veins that run across the base of the melon. This is the best advice tip of them all and of course, I got it from my friend Bill, the produce manager from my local Smyrna Publix. He also says to run your thumb upwards on the skin of the melon and if it is tacky, then you have a ripe honeydew and you have found the “Lottery Queen” – winning the Melon Lottery!

I have enjoyed bringing you this blog series on choosing sweet, ripe melons. I am glad to have gotten to know Bill. He is a wealth of knowledge and he loves to share that knowledge with others. Get to know your produce manager and see how much better you become at picking the best and most ripe fruits and veggies!

Enjoy the last of summer’s bounty! I would love to hear your comments on picking ripe melons.

Until the Next Pick,

Renee

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