How can I distinguish good watermelons from bad ones?

I was instructed to test them by thumping on them and buying ones that
sound hollow.

I do that, but sometimes I still end up buying ones that turn out to be
almost tasteless and not sweet.

Robert

On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 17:21:00 -0500, flitterbit >
wrote:

>Robert Montgomery wrote:
>> How can I distinguish good watermelons from bad ones?
>>
>> I was instructed to test them by thumping on them and buying ones that
>> sound hollow.
>>
>> I do that, but sometimes I still end up buying ones that turn out to be
>> almost tasteless and not sweet.
>>
>> Robert
> >
>The thump test is to determine whether or not the melon is ripe; flavour
>can't be determined by other than cutting open the melon and tasting it,
>as far as I'm aware.

Doesn't looking for the "creamy" spot on the bottom help any?
--

History is a vast early warning system
Norman Cousins

sf wrote:
>
> Doesn't looking for the "creamy" spot on the bottom help any?

Hehe... that's what I do.

Sheldon

On Jul 11, 1:21 pm, Robert Montgomery >
wrote:
> How can I distinguish good watermelons from bad ones?
>
> I was instructed to test them by thumping on them and buying ones that
> sound hollow.
>
> I do that, but sometimes I still end up buying ones that turn out to be
> almost tasteless and not sweet.
>
> Robert

Watermelons do not ripen off the vine. Thumping is used to find the
densest one possible.

b.

Robert Montgomery wrote:
> How can I distinguish good watermelons from bad ones?
>
> I was instructed to test them by thumping on them and buying ones that
> sound hollow.
>
> I do that, but sometimes I still end up buying ones that turn out to be
> almost tasteless and not sweet.
>
> Robert
>
The thump test is to determine whether or not the melon is ripe; flavour
can't be determined by other than cutting open the melon and tasting it,
as far as I'm aware.

On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 18:25:21 -0500, flitterbit >
wrote:

>I'd think that variations in the colour of the rind have more to do with
>exposure to sunlight than anything else, but I don't know for certain;
>the melons available at my local stores are usually pretty uniform in
>colour or, if there's any variation, it appears to be the portion that
>was on the ground, ie, it's usually a little flattened compared to the
>rest of the melon.


Yes, that's exactly right... plus the cream colored spot indicates it
has ripened. Uniform color means they were not picked fully ripe.

http://www.slate.com/id/2102005/

Watermelon: Here's a great trick for identifying ripe watermelon,
courtesy of Latilla: The area where a watermelon has rested on the
truck, or on the ground, or on the fruit stand, tends to flatten out
and turn yellow. The wider the spread of this area, and the more
intensely yellow the color, the sweeter and riper the watermelon.
--

History is a vast early warning system
Norman Cousins

sf wrote:
> On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 17:21:00 -0500, flitterbit >
> wrote:
>
>> Robert Montgomery wrote:
>>> How can I distinguish good watermelons from bad ones?
>>>
>>> I was instructed to test them by thumping on them and buying ones that
>>> sound hollow.
>>>
>>> I do that, but sometimes I still end up buying ones that turn out to be
>>> almost tasteless and not sweet.
>>>
>>> Robert
>>>
>> The thump test is to determine whether or not the melon is ripe; flavour
>> can't be determined by other than cutting open the melon and tasting it,
>> as far as I'm aware.
>
> Doesn't looking for the "creamy" spot on the bottom help any?
>
>
I'd think that variations in the colour of the rind have more to do with
exposure to sunlight than anything else, but I don't know for certain;
the melons available at my local stores are usually pretty uniform in
colour or, if there's any variation, it appears to be the portion that
was on the ground, ie, it's usually a little flattened compared to the
rest of the melon.

On Jul 11, 4:23 pm, sf wrote:
> On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 18:25:21 -0500, flitterbit >
> wrote:
>
> >I'd think that variations in the colour of the rind have more to do with
> >exposure to sunlight than anything else, but I don't know for certain;
> >the melons available at my local stores are usually pretty uniform in
> >colour or, if there's any variation, it appears to be the portion that
> >was on the ground, ie, it's usually a little flattened compared to the
> >rest of the melon.
>
> Yes, that's exactly right... plus the cream colored spot indicates it
> has ripened. Uniform color means they were not picked fully ripe.
>
> http://www.slate.com/id/2102005/
>
> Watermelon: Here's a great trick for identifying ripe watermelon,
> courtesy of Latilla: The area where a watermelon has rested on the
> truck, or on the ground, or on the fruit stand, tends to flatten out
> and turn yellow. The wider the spread of this area, and the more
> intensely yellow the color, the sweeter and riper the watermelon.
> --
>
> History is a vast early warning system
> Norman Cousins

I also like mine juicy so I pick the ones that have a big yellow spot
and heavy for the size.

On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 14:50:12 -0700, sf wrote:

>On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 17:21:00 -0500, flitterbit >
>wrote:
>
>>Robert Montgomery wrote:
>>> How can I distinguish good watermelons from bad ones?
>>>
>>> I was instructed to test them by thumping on them and buying ones that
>>> sound hollow.
>>>
>>> I do that, but sometimes I still end up buying ones that turn out to be
>>> almost tasteless and not sweet.
>>>
>>> Robert
>> >
>>The thump test is to determine whether or not the melon is ripe; flavour
>>can't be determined by other than cutting open the melon and tasting it,
>>as far as I'm aware.
>
>Doesn't looking for the "creamy" spot on the bottom help any?

I look for that and pick one that is heavy for it's size.

Koko
---
http://www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 7/08

"There is no love more sincere than the love of food"
George Bernard Shaw

"Robert Montgomery" > wrote in message
news:fZali.35960$xk5.26633@edtnps82...
> How can I distinguish good watermelons from bad ones?
>
> I was instructed to test them by thumping on them and buying ones that
> sound hollow.
>
> I do that, but sometimes I still end up buying ones that turn out to be
> almost tasteless and not sweet.
>
> Robert

They don't grow good melons any more. The round seedless one, the short
seedless once are all bland and have poor texture. If, however, you can
find one of the long watermelons with seeds, it will probably be very good.

On Jul 11, 7:30?pm, "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:
> "Robert Montgomery" > wrote in message
>
> news:fZali.35960$xk5.26633@edtnps82...
>
> > How can I distinguish good watermelons from bad ones?
>
> > I was instructed to test them by thumping on them and buying ones that
> > sound hollow.
>
> > I do that, but sometimes I still end up buying ones that turn out to be
> > almost tasteless and not sweet.
>
> > Robert
>
> They don't grow good melons any more. The round seedless one, the short
> seedless once are all bland and have poor texture. If, however, you can
> find one of the long watermelons with seeds, it will probably be very good.

Have to agree with you - those big oblong, seeded "old fashioned"
watermelons were more reliably sweet than the varieties available
today. Once in a long while I'll snag a seedless melon that tastes
ok, but they're mostly disappointing. Unfortunately most of them are
watery and tasteless regardless of the thump test, relative weight,
and creamy white spot.

Think we lost something special when producers decided the public
preferred the convenience of smaller fruit with no seeds. Brings to
mind the "vine ripened" tasteless tomatoes from Safeway.

Nancy T

ntantiques wrote:

> On Jul 11, 7:30?pm, "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:
>
>>"Robert Montgomery" > wrote in message
>>
>>news:fZali.35960$xk5.26633@edtnps82...
>>
>>
>>>How can I distinguish good watermelons from bad ones?
>>
>>>I was instructed to test them by thumping on them and buying ones that
>>>sound hollow.
>>
>>>I do that, but sometimes I still end up buying ones that turn out to be
>>>almost tasteless and not sweet.
>>
>>>Robert
>>
>>They don't grow good melons any more. The round seedless one, the short
>>seedless once are all bland and have poor texture. If, however, you can
>>find one of the long watermelons with seeds, it will probably be very good.
>
>
> Have to agree with you - those big oblong, seeded "old fashioned"
> watermelons were more reliably sweet than the varieties available
> today. Once in a long while I'll snag a seedless melon that tastes
> ok, but they're mostly disappointing. Unfortunately most of them are
> watery and tasteless regardless of the thump test, relative weight,
> and creamy white spot.
>
> Think we lost something special when producers decided the public
> preferred the convenience of smaller fruit with no seeds. Brings to
> mind the "vine ripened" tasteless tomatoes from Safeway.
>
> Nancy T

I thought the reason for watermelons not having the black seeds nowadays
is because of genetic modification.

Robert

On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 17:59:27 -0700, Koko rummaged among random neurons
and opined:

>I look for that and pick one that is heavy for it's size.

That's a good test for citrus, too. If the orange (grapefruit, etc.)
feels heavy for its size, it's likely well ripened.

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd

--
"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

-- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "spaminator" with "cox"

I go by two things. Sound, you want a good echo-ie sound. About 90% of the
time this proves to be a good watermelon. I also look for what I call surgar
spots. These are small areas of dried brown sap from the watermelon.
Everytime I have bought one with these little hard dried brown drops of sap
on it I have always gotten an awesome watermelon. It is my opinion that
these spots indicate a watermelon that is so loaded with sugar that it can't
contain it all.

Somebody!

Robert Montgomery wrote:

> How can I distinguish good watermelons from bad ones?
>
> I was instructed to test them by thumping on them and buying ones that
> sound hollow.

You aren't completely off-base with this. From the UC-Davis website:

http://vric.ucdavis.edu/veginfo/comm...watermelon.pdf

To test melons for ripeness, rap the side of the fruit with your
knuckles. A light or metallic sound
means that the fruit is still green; a dull sound means it is ripe.
This is most reliable in the early
morning. During the heat of the day or after melons have been picked
for some time, they all sound
ripe. Fruits have a "ground spot" where they rest on the ground; this
spot turns slightly yellow as the
fruit matures. Watermelons tend to become rough as they mature. The
tendrils closest to the fruit
darken and dry up as the fruit ripens. Do not pull melons off the
vine; use a sharp knife for cutting.

--Lin

ntantiques wrote:
>
> Have to agree with you - those big oblong, seeded "old fashioned"
> watermelons were more reliably sweet than the varieties available
> today. Once in a long while I'll snag a seedless melon that tastes
> ok, but they're mostly disappointing. Unfortunately most of them are
> watery and tasteless regardless of the thump test, relative weight,
> and creamy white spot.
>
> Think we lost something special when producers decided the public
> preferred the convenience of smaller fruit with no seeds. Brings to
> mind the "vine ripened" tasteless tomatoes from Safeway.

The producers didn't decide for the consumer. The consumer demands
and their wishes are fulfilled. You're probably too young to remember
when the only produce available was whatever was in season locally and
that which kept well in storage, like root vegetables. If you want
fresh tomatoes in winter than you pretty much need to accept tasteless
cardboard... normal brained folks ratehr than bitch choose something
else or use canned... todays canned tomatoes are far superior to those
from 50 years ago.

As for watermelon, the consumer is who demanded smaller melons, most
folks can't consume a large melon nor are they willing to allocate the
fridge space. Folks are also averse to buying watermelon by the piece
and the retailers are not willing to absorb the cost of so much
spoilage from unsold pieces, nor can they transfer that cost to the
consumers as they would be unwilling to pay double for melon. So, the
refrigerator melon was born. Personally I like the small watermelons,
I find fewer small melons that are of inferior quality than I do with
those monster watermelons. I bet none of you expected me to admit I
prefer small melons.

And again, with melons just like tomatoes, only those locally grown
will be vine ripened, those that are shipped are harvested well before
they are fully ripe or the'd crack during transport. Watermelon does
not ripen once picked, so it's best to consume them as soon as
possible. The small melons ship better and so can be permitted more
ripening time on the vine. Today all fruit growers use brix meters to
test fruit ripeness in the field, any you find at the market less then
ideally ripe is intentional. Of course being a natural product there
will always be a few poor quality melons that slip by... life requires
risk taking... better an occasional imperfect watermelon than married
to silicone boobs.

Sheldon

sf wrote:
> On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 18:25:21 -0500, flitterbit >
> wrote:
>
>> I'd think that variations in the colour of the rind have more to do with
>> exposure to sunlight than anything else, but I don't know for certain;
>> the melons available at my local stores are usually pretty uniform in
>> colour or, if there's any variation, it appears to be the portion that
>> was on the ground, ie, it's usually a little flattened compared to the
>> rest of the melon.
>
>
> Yes, that's exactly right... plus the cream colored spot indicates it
> has ripened. Uniform color means they were not picked fully ripe.
>
> http://www.slate.com/id/2102005/
>
> Watermelon: Here's a great trick for identifying ripe watermelon,
> courtesy of Latilla: The area where a watermelon has rested on the
> truck, or on the ground, or on the fruit stand, tends to flatten out
> and turn yellow. The wider the spread of this area, and the more
> intensely yellow the color, the sweeter and riper the watermelon.
>
That's good to know; thanks!

On Jul 12, 5:40?am, Sheldon > wrote:

>
> The producers didn't decide for the consumer. The consumer demands
> and their wishes are fulfilled. You're probably too young to remember
> when the only produce available was whatever was in season locally and
> that which kept well in storage, like root vegetables. If you want
> fresh tomatoes in winter than you pretty much need to accept tasteless
> cardboard... normal brained folks ratehr than bitch choose something
> else or use canned... todays canned tomatoes are far superior to those
> from 50 years ago.
> (snipped)


Sheldon, trust me, I'm old enough to remember the minimal produce
available out of season in mid 20th century America. Well remember
Iceberg Lettuce being an expensive exotic during my childhood winters
in New England (and was so awful my Mom usually passed it by). We ate
a lot of BirdsEye frozen green veggies in the winter. Am also old
enough to remember the good old days when - during the growing season
- you could buy decent tomatoes & watermelon at a chain market.

Today almost everything in the produce dept has so many travel miles
on it that it never really ripens. Beautiful but tasteless apricots
and peaches and rocklike plums that never ripen are pretty much the
rule in the chain stores - and I live in the areas where they're
grown. Don't know why people keep buying them. Sad that so many in
this generation may never know the taste of wonderfully ripe fruit
and veggies. I find that the only way to assure real kickass flavor
is to grow my own - and I'm waiting with baited breath for our tomato
crop to start ripening. If I had the space in our vegetable garden,
I'd put in some watermelon. Maybe next year.
Nancy T

On Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:11:18 -0700, ntantiques >
wrote:

>I'm old enough to remember the minimal produce
>available out of season in mid 20th century America.
<snip>
>We ate a lot of BirdsEye frozen green veggies in the winter.

You got to eat *frozen* peas? I had to eat canned. Blech.
OTOH, we lived in an area that grew produce for upscale Chicago
restaurants and groceries... so among other things, we had some *fine*
Bibb lettuce in the summertime which we bought directly from the
grower.
--

History is a vast early warning system
Norman Cousins

On Jul 12, 9:44?pm, sf wrote:
> On Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:11:18 -0700, ntantiques >
> wrote:
>
>
>
> >I'm old enough to remember the minimal produce
> >available out of season in mid 20th century America.
> <snip>
> >We ate a lot of BirdsEye frozen green veggies in the winter.
>
> You got to eat *frozen* peas? I had to eat canned. Blech.
> OTOH, we lived in an area that grew produce for upscale Chicago
> restaurants and groceries... so among other things, we had some *fine*
> Bibb lettuce in the summertime which we bought directly from the
> grower.

There were two things my mother couldn't bear - liver & canned peas.
Didn't taste a canned pea until I hit college dorm food. Lord, but
they're nasty - you have my sympathies!

Nancy T

On Jul 13, 2:43?am, ntantiques > wrote:
> On Jul 12, 9:44?pm, sf wrote:
>
> > On Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:11:18 -0700, ntantiques >
> > wrote:
>
> > >I'm old enough to remember the minimal produce
> > >available out of season in mid 20th century America.
> > <snip>
> > >We ate a lot of BirdsEye frozen green veggies in the winter.
>
> > You got to eat *frozen* peas? I had to eat canned. Blech.
> > OTOH, we lived in an area that grew produce for upscale Chicago
> > restaurants and groceries... so among other things, we had some *fine*
> > Bibb lettuce in the summertime which we bought directly from the
> > grower.
>
> There were two things my mother couldn't bear - liver & canned peas.
> Didn't taste a canned pea until I hit college dorm food. Lord, but
> they're nasty - you have my sympathies!

I like canned peas (and other canned veggies), I just think of them as
a varietal... after eating my own fresh grown veggies all summer I
think of canned as a wonderful change of pace, and no labor involved
other than opening the can. I keep a large stock of all kinds of
canned veggies in my larder, they make a great right out of the
package snack, a can of Veg-All is certainly better than a bag of
Cheetos. I firmily believe that those who publicly berate canned
veggies, canned soups, etc. actually eat them in private, they're just
food snobs.

Canned beets rule!

Sheldon

On Fri, 13 Jul 2007 08:08:50 -0700, Sheldon > wrote:

> I firmily believe that those who publicly berate canned
>veggies, canned soups, etc. actually eat them in private, they're just
>food snobs.

I have no idea what canned peas taste like today. Canned peas of my
youth were mealy, mushy and a funny color. Maybe they've changed,
maybe not and I am *not* interested in finding out. I only eat frozen
petit peas now and not very much either. They are a staple in my
freezer but I use them as a green addition to something else like
stew, not the main vegetable on my plate. Canned peas of the bad old
days turned me off forever! I never did take to fresh either.... they
were way too mealy. I'd rather scrape the pods with my teeth. Now,
that's tastey!
--

History is a vast early warning system
Norman Cousins

On Jul 13, 8:08?am, Sheldon > wrote:
> I like canned peas (and other canned veggies), I just think of them as
> a varietal... after eating my own fresh grown veggies all summer I
> think of canned as a wonderful change of pace, and no labor involved
> other than opening the can. I keep a large stock of all kinds of
> canned veggies in my larder, they make a great right out of the
> package snack, a can of Veg-All is certainly better than a bag of
> Cheetos. I firmily believe that those who publicly berate canned
> veggies, canned soups, etc. actually eat them in private, they're just
> food snobs.
>
> Canned beets rule!
>
> Sheldon

There's defnitely a place for canned veggies. Since we live in the
country now, I always keep canned stuff on hand. There are canned
veggies that are perfectly edible - canned corn, green chilies,
artichoke hearts, & Blue Lake green beans I always have on hand and
use periodically even when fresh or frozen are available. Asparagus,
peas, spinach, carrots and potatoes just don't survive the transition
to cans on any level in my book.

Canned beets I adore, but if I bring them into the house, DH reacts as
if I am trying to poison him.

Never heard of Veg-All - what's in it?

Nancy T

On Jul 13, 4:10?pm, ntantiques > wrote:
>
> Never heard of Veg-All - what's in it?

http://veg-all.com


Sheldon

On Jul 13, 4:41?pm, Sheldon > wrote:
> On Jul 13, 4:10?pm, ntantiques > wrote:
>
>
>
> > Never heard of Veg-All - what's in it?
>
> http://veg-all.com
>
> Sheldon

Thanks for the link Sheldon. Will have a look for it next time I hit
the market. Could be very handy to have around especially in the
winter when the weather periodically keeps us housebound and I'm in
the mood to make chicken pot pie or need to flesh out a homemade
soup.

Nancy T

On Fri, 13 Jul 2007 08:08:50 -0700, Sheldon > wrote:
>
>Canned beets rule!

Canned beets right out of the can at room temp is one of my favorite
things. :-)

ttfn,
jan

On Fri, 13 Jul 2007 21:51:18 -0400, rummaged
among random neurons and opined:

>On Fri, 13 Jul 2007 08:08:50 -0700, Sheldon > wrote:
>>
>>Canned beets rule!
>
>Canned beets right out of the can at room temp is one of my favorite
>things. :-)

I absolutely *hate* beets, but *canned* beets?

Aaaauugghhh!!! <feeling dizzy, must sit down, room going dark>

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd

--
"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

-- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "spaminator" with "cox"