To pick a ripe and sweet cantaloupe, follow these key tips:
- Look: Choose cantaloupes with a golden yellow color rather than greenish skin. The rough netted skin is normal and not an indicator of ripeness.
- Feel: The skin should feel slightly rough. Press gently on the flower end (opposite the stem); it should give slightly and not be too firm or mushy. Also, a ripe cantaloupe will detach easily from the vine if fresh picked.
- Smell: A ripe cantaloupe should emit a strong sweet and fruity aroma from the flower end. If there is no scent, it is not ripe.
- Inspect the stem end: A ripe cantaloupe will often have an indentation or "innie" where the stem was attached.
- Weight: A ripe cantaloupe will feel heavy for its size, implying juiciness inside.
Additional notes: Avoid cantaloupes with green undertones, soft spots, or shriveled stems which indicate underripe or overripe fruit. If buying unripe, the cantaloupe can ripen at room temperature in a few days. These combined visual, tactile, and olfactory checks will help pick the best cantaloupe for eating immediately or soon after purchase.
