Hi, All!

Okay. It's a mystery to me! Is there some method of being able to tell that a canteloupe is ripe enough to eat without cutting it open?

I've heard something about the ends of them needing to be a certain way...

Thanks!

It's the sound when you thump the end with your knuckles. A ripe cantelope will have a thud rather than a bang. I also tend to smell the ends.

Hey thanks, KISS!

I'm trying to figure out what you mean by a thud as compared to a bang. Remember, I'm a musician who's also been a concert band participant as well as director. So, when you start using terms like that, I tend to think of percussion instruments.

So, if it has a "thud", does that mean that it has no resonance to it, like a bongo or bass drum might have?

Thanks!

Probably more like a "soft sound". Make a fist.

Tap a wall with knuckles. (unripe sound)
Tap a mattress with knuckles. (ripe sound)

So, if it's ripe, really not much definitive sound at all. Correct?

Yep.

Smell the end, if it's a nice strong fresh summery cantalopy smell, it's ready.

So, I take it that it shouldn't have what we might consider to be a "green" smell. Correct?

If you want to eat it the day you buy it, look for the ugliest one with a yellowish semi flat side (where it was lying) and almost a little soft (sorry hard to explain)

If your just buying it for future use, look for a good solid one with the same side as above. Bring it home and put in on the kitchen counter.

Could be a couple days, but when you come home from work (or where ever) and smell the fruit in the air when you walk in the door... It is ready:D
I have used this method ever since it was told to me and it has never failed.

No not a green smell, try a bright yellow to green smell, that akward mandarin coloured smell

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Originally Posted by Tamsyn

no not a green smell, try a bright yellow to green smell, that akward mandarin coloured smell

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I don't understand what you are talking about:):rolleyes::confused:

You know when you smell things and it reminds you of a colour? Sometimes when we smell things, we unconsciously give the scent a form or more often we think about what colour it would be. Try it. Try smelling some different flowers without looking at it's colour and think about what colour you'd expect it to be

That's good for the imagination, Tamsyn!

I'll have to give it a try! I do have some idea as to what you're writing about there!

Are you per chance an artist or musician?

Thanks!

You're welcome! No, not an artist, the only thing I can draw are hands, I really like hands for some reason. And things just make sense if you think of them in colours. You learn a lot about yourself by the expectations you have of the colours things should be.

It's easy to tell.All you half to do is shake it.if you hear the seeds it's ripe.if you don't it's not.

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Originally Posted by charkitty6

It's easy to tell.All you half to do is shake it.if you hear the seeds it's ripe.if you don't it's not.

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It's too noisy in the grocers, I can't hear anything:rolleyes:

The thump method is good for watermelons, but not as applicable to cantaloupes or honeydews. For Cantaloupes, I press gently on the stem end (where the stem was attached). The softer that spot the riper the melon. This works also for honeydews.

I also sniff the stem end of cantaloupes, if you can detect a sweet smell its ripe.

I have a pretty good track record of picking melons.

If you are not going to eat it right away, you can leave the melon on a windowsill for a day or too (depending on sun) to ripen up.

My friend told me that if you want a good juicy melon, look for one that's heavy for its size. It's hard to explain. I didn't understand until I picked up and compared every melon on the table that day. But the melon we finally decided on was great!