Can you pick a good one?
By
Gerry Niskern
Watermelons, Honey Dews, Galias, Tuscans, Casabas, Cantaloupe. They are all in the supermarkets right now. Do you know how to pick a good one?
When it came to Watermelons my mother had a tried and true method. SHE MADE THE PRODUCE GUY “PLUG” ONE! The tool he used was a long, sharp, circular knife that he plunged deep into the center of the melon. If the long sphere wasn’t sweet enough, mom didn’t buy it.
Regarding Cantaloupes, she always said to “press on the opposite end from the stem site.” It should feel slightly soft and a little springy.
Speaking of Cantaloupes, the family ‘s favorite. But wait, was it dessert or a side dish at dinner?
When we were newlyweds the cantaloupe debate started. Being a W. VA girl, I always had the two halves of Cantaloupe cleaned and ready to serve after dinner for dessert. My husband, a West Texas boy, was used to his mother putting a heaping platter of sliced Cantaloupe as a side dish with the meal.
One day he got so tired of me being stingy with the Cantaloupe he took the advice of a friend of where to get plenty of the ripe melon. He proceeded to take his pickup out on Grand Avenue to the packing sheds. All you had to do was back your truck up to the loading dock and they would dump the bed full of Cantaloupe that was too ripe to ship. Several times during the season he brought home a truckload to share with all our neighbors.
They were delicious!
I do remember they plugged the watermelon to see if it was ripe. I wonder if they could sell the ones that had been plugged? Maybe that is why they don’t do it now.
Bobby
Wow a truck load of ripe cantaloupe! The neighbors must’ve loved it.
Love cantaloupe, now I’m craving one haha ?
when I was growing up we had cantaloupe for breakfast, watermelon any time.
My Mother always had the watermelon plugged.
Well, cantaloupe was not readily available back in W.VA when I was little thats why it was a dessert to me……I’ve been surprised at how many of my readers could not believe that stores would actually plug a watermenon for you. My adult kids just assumed that their Grandmother was the only one they did it for because she was always the boss! haha