How to pick a melon (Hint: Use your nose)
Dear Lynne,
How do you buy a melon?
-Gerry in Tacoma
Dear Gerry,
Trust your nose. If it smells quite sweet, it will be sweet. Check for ripeness by pressing the dime-sized round at the melon's end. If it is hard, it needs several days on the kitchen counter. If it has a bit of give, the melon should be ready. Never buy melons with soft spots, withered skins, musty aromas or no aroma at all. And if possible, buy organic ones for better flavor.
My inner food police has to add that bacteria and dirt can cling to the melon's skin. When you cut into it, your knife carries them onto the flesh of the fruit. So scrub melon with a vegetable brush and hot water running water before cutting into it. Always dry it well to avoid deterioration.
-Lynne
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