How to Choose the Perfect Watermelon

Watermelon can be one of the most disappointing fruits of summer because finding the perfect one is so difficult. Kim Severson seeks the elusive perfection of the juicy gourd.

How to Choose a Watermelon

By KIM SEVERSON

LIKE relationships, watermelons offer no guarantees. But a little wisdom from the experts can help you choose a good one at the store.

First, find a melon that’s dull, not shiny, and uniform in shape. Odd bumps and curves can mean it was grown with irregular runs of water or sun.

Then look for a creamy patch. It’s called the field spot — the place where the watermelon rested on the ground. The deeper in color, the longer the fully grown melon was on the vine getting sweet. Yellow is better than white, but white is better than no patch at all.

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Picking (harvesting) Watermelon

Harveting watermelons is not as straight forward as many other vegetables when it comes to deciding exactly when to harvest. One of the reasons is that they do not slip off the vine like cantaloupes when ripe. This makes it is necessary to look for other indicators. Rolling the melon over and looking at the ground spot where the melon was laying is probably the best method. If that portion of the watermelon is a pale yellow color, the melon should be ripe. You can also look at the tendrils (short, curly, stem-like vine) next to the melon. The tendrils are close to the area where a leaf is attached to the main vine. When the first tendril next to the fruit looks dead and dried up, the melon closest to that tendril should be ripe. Watermelons will store longer than other melons and should be refrigerated, especially after cut.

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How to Select, Bag and Store Fresh Produce

Select produce that is not bruised or damaged.

When selecting freshcut produce – such as a half a watermelon or bagged mixed salad greens – choose only those items that are refrigerated or surrounded by ice.

Bag fresh fruits and vegetables separately from meat, poultry and seafood products when packing them to take home from the market.

Certain perishable fresh fruits and vegetables (like strawberries, lettuce, herbs, and mushrooms) can be best maintained by storing in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40° F or below. If you’re not sure whether an item should be refrigerated to maintain quality, ask your grocer.

All produce that is purchased pre-cut or peeled should be refrigerated to maintain both quality and safety.

Keep your refrigerator set at 40° F or below. Use a fridge thermometer to check!

Exotic Vegetables… Calabaza Squash

Calabaza Squash

Calabaza is a type of pumpkin-like squash that is round in shape and varies in size. It can be as large as a watermelon or as small as a cantaloupe. The color of calabaza can also vary and may include greens, tans, reds and oranges. Some squash are all one color while other calabaza are multi-colored and may include all of colors listed above. This squash is popular in the Caribbean as well as Central and South America. It is also commonly called a West Indian Pumpkin.

Whole calabaza may be difficult to slice. Slicing through the tough rind often calls for a heavy cleaver or a very sharp knife. If the squash resists slicing, remove the stem and place the knife or cleaver blade along the squash’s length. Gently tap the blade with a hammer until the squash falls open. Scoop out the seeds, peel and prepare!

Selection
Calabaza is often sold already chopped into chunks in many Latin markets. This is because of the difficulty many have in chopping the whole squash (see box below). Select pieces with a fresh, moist and unblemished flesh. Soft or wet spots means the squash is beginning to spoil. The color of the flesh should be a bright orange. Whole squash are more difficult to find, but if you find one, select one that still has the stem attached and is heavy for its size. You should avoid purchasing a squash with bruises, cuts, or soft spots. Calabaza is available year round

Storage
Whole calabaza may be stored in a cool, dry space for up to 6 weeks. Cut calabaza should be wrapped tightly or placed in a covered container in the refrigerated for no more than one week.

Preparation
Calabaza has a sweet flavor and its texture is firm. This is similar to the taste and texture of more familiar varieties of squash, such as butternut or acorn. Calabaza may be substituted in recipes calling for those more common types of squash.

Calabaza is most commonly baked, either cut in sections or in cubes. Its seeds may also be roasted in a similar way as pumpkin seeds. Simply place on a baking sheet coated in cooking spray until brown and crisp.

Source: FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov

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