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As with cantaloupe, color is your first sign of ripeness. The melon’s green rind will take on a creamy yellowish color. If the color is right, gently push on the end of the melon opposite from the stem. If there is a slight give, the melon is probably ripe.
How can you tell when a cantaloupe is ripe and sweet?
Feel it: A good cantaloupe should feel firm all over—but not rock hard. If you find any soft or squishy spots, that’s usually a sign of rotting. Gently press the blossom end: you should feel a bit of give. Pick it up: A good cantaloupe should feel heavy.
How long does it take for melon to ripe?
Melons typically ripen over a short period of time, up to 3 to 4 weeks for cantaloupes. As soon as one melon is ripe, the others won’t be far behind. About a week before a melon is ripe, minimize watering to just enough to keep vines from wilting.
Will a cantaloupe ripen on the counter?
However, cantaloupe and similar fruit will continue to ripen after harvest. Once into the ripening process, fruit will gain sugar, flavor will improve and flesh soften. However, cantaloupe and similar melons bought in winter probably need to be held at room temperature for a few days or more to allow it to improve.
Do melons ripen after picking?
Do melons ripen after they are picked? Once picked, melons no longer get sweeter or tastier, so it is worth seeking ones out that ripened fully on the vine. As with most fruit, melons are picked before they fully ripen to give them more time and durability for transportation to grocery stores.
How do you ripen a honeydew melon quickly?
She recommends that you ripen them faster in a perforated paper bag. When ripe, refrigerate. Cut melons should be wrapped in plastic to contain the odor. Do not remove the seeds until ready to eat because the seeds keep the flesh from drying out.
How do you ripen fruit quickly?
Ripening fruit gives off ethylene gas, and putting the fruit in a paper bag traps the gas near the fruit, causing it to ripen faster. Place bananas in a brown paper bag and close loosely. Ethylene will build up and circulate within the bag, speeding up the ripening process.
How can you tell when a muskmelon is ripe?
When ripe, the flower end (the end opposite the stem) of the melon should be slightly soft. As the fruit matures, the skin between the netting turns from green to yellow. Finally, a ripe melon produces a strong “muskmelon” aroma.
What’s the best way to ripen a cantaloupe?
To quickly ripen a cantaloupe, place it in a large brown paper bag with a ripe apple or banana. Roll the top of the paper bag to close it. Leave the bag out at room temperature for a few days, checking periodically to test the ripeness.
What does an unripe cantaloupe look like?
A ripe cantaloupe will have beige, tan, creamy yellow or golden rind. Green rind indicates that the fruit is unripe. The fruit will have a raised, textured webbing on its exterior. Don’t be concerned with discoloration – this is usually just the spot where the melon rested on the ground while being grown in the field.
Are honeydew and cantaloupe the same?
Honeydew melon and cantaloupe are two members of the same species, Cucumis melo (1). Yet, though they’re closely related, they’re two distinctive fruits. They’re similarly sweet, but honeydew melon has a smooth, light-colored rind and green flesh, while cantaloupe has a darker, netted rind and orange flesh (1, 2 ).
Can you ripen a melon in the microwave?
Place the piece of unripe fruit in the microwave. Heat it on medium power for 15 seconds.
How can you tell if a honeydew is ripe?
Here’s how to do it. Consider the color. The rind of a ripe honeydew will be a bright, creamy yellow color. If it looks particularly green, skip it—it’s probably underripe. Test the texture. Is that rind smooth and waxy? Give it a feel. Find the blossom end, which is opposite the end where it was attached to the vine.
How do I know when my honeydew is ripe?
When ripe, the color of the rind should be a creamy yellow rather than green, and the rind will become smooth and waxy rather than dusky. If you press on the bottom of a ripe honeydew (the opposite end from where it’s attached to the vine), it should feel slightly soft or at least a little springy.
How long does it take for a honeydew melon to ripen?
Tip. Honeydew melons mature in 65 to 100 days, depending on the cultivar.
How do you soften a cantaloupe?
Place the fruit in a brown paper bag rolled closed at the top to help the melon to ripen faster for eating. Once you’ve already cut the cantaloupe it needs to be refrigerated, which slows any further softening.
How do you ripen Bael fruit at home?
Mature bael fruits ripe in 2-3 weeks under ambient conditions. Bael fruits, if treated with ethrel solution @ 5 ml/litre in water for 20 minutes, ripe in 1-2 weeks with proper colour, flavour and quality development. Ethrel solution once prepared can be used 3-4 times for fruit treatment.
