Hi everyone:

I'm looking for some advice - the cantaloupes are so perfectly delicious right now, it's wonderful when I find a good one, but I don't know how to best select the right one.

One day, I'll get the most perfect one, but the next day I pick one that will be disappointing and tasteless - does anyone know a foolproof method of predicting a good perfectly ripe cantaloupe? The ones at the health food store were divine two weeks ago, but over-ripe and smelled bad by late last week. The ones from the grocery store are often green close to the skin and not sweet at all, maybe underripe.

Wishing for another delicious cantaloupe!

Sapphire

Well I hate when I get cantaloupe and it is over ripe. YukI guess get it when it does not smell that strong. I am not really sure. Practice?

The end of the cantaloupe should yield slightly when pressed ... the end that looks like a belly button. IT should also have a decent smell to it. I find watermelons less predictable when it comes to quality.

I have a kitten that jumped up on the counter and grabed the seeds of my cantaloup and ate them like they were a real treat. If the kitten would eat the seeds maybe they are good for me. Does anybody eat the seeds and pulp? If so I wonder what it tasts like.
I don't know what to say about picking a good cantaloup but a produce guy once told me to pick the ugliest one but maybe he just wanted to get rid of the ugly one. It sure is disapointing to get a taistless cantaloup though.

Thanks for the ideas. I have heard the one about the "belly button" (didn't call it that, but how perfect!). I do that usually, and sometimes it works, although I have also had good ones that didn't pass the belly button test.

I've also tried selecting fruits that are heavy for their size, and find that works pretty well, except that the over-ripe ones feel heavy as well.

One person told me to pick the ones that are the most round, and again, sometimes that works - I haven't tried picking the ugliest one before - but I will - and I will let you know how that works out for me. I don't think I have ever smelled them - do they smell before you cut them? I've never noticed, will have to try that too!

They must be at their peak season right now, because I just can't believe how much better than usual they taste lately. If only they were more reliable! Or maybe my tastebuds are having some fun with me LOL!

Does anyone else go through these phases of having to go crazy with one particular fruit for a certain amount of time and you just feel like you want to eat it all the time? I did this last winter with honey pomelos - so good!

Happy shopping!

Sapphire

I can eat canteloupes till they're coming out of my ears and it's been like this for several months. I've always liked them though.

I think perfectly ripe canteloupes like lots of other fruit depend on what state of ripeness they were in when they were picked i.e. not TOO early.

I have a canteloupe growing right now out of the front corner of my house. I did not plant it. I thought it was a weed but left it when I saw the flowers. It is green and the size of a large baseball, it's sitting at the edge of my dirveway. This is unusual for mid October in Toronto. Will take it in soon to see if it will ripen in the window.

I have had a love of plums this summer ... that and I have had some times of insane cravings for oranges and will eat five or six at a time. Cataloupes do smell prior to cutting. As do a lot of melons. Watermelons seem to be the exception.
I compost and I have tons of random melons and tomato plants in my flower beds from the compost. I even had quite a few date, grapefruit, orange, lemon, and avocado trees that had sprouted in the drum. Too bad the environment where I live will not support the grove that would apparently like to exist.

PamPam,

I no longer throw away the seeds and whatnot in the center of a cantaloupe. Put it in a smoothie and get ready for a delicious treat. Now if someone tells me that cantaloupe seeds are poisonous I'm going to jump off a bridge!!!!! For now, I love them.


Sapphire,

I too use the smell test to pick a cantaloupe. Are they not a seasonal fruit? Believe they must be as I only see them sold in the summer months. What I'm trying to say is that I won't buy one in December. Give them a good smell next time and let that guide you.


Suvine,

Promise that if the wife misbehaves you'll run off with me??? I'll treat you like a Queen and buy you any fruit your heart desires! Seriously, I love your replies and web site.

My best to all,

David

Jeez David, I hope your wife doesn't see that post!

She'll be sneaking more apple seeds into your smoothie. ;-)

LOL!!!!!

:-0

David