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In fact, most cantaloupes are ready to be picked once they’re fully ripened, changing from green to a tan or yellowish-gray color between the netting. A ripe melon will also exhibit a sweet and pleasant aroma. One way to tell if a melon is overripe is by looking at the rind, which will appear quite yellow and soft.
How can I tell when my cantaloupe is ripe?
To select a ripe cantaloupe, look for tan cantaloupe with light green lines across it, and avoid choosing melons with brown or soft spots. The melon should be firm but not too soft or too hard.
Will cantaloupe ripen off the vine?
Pick up the melon, smell it and if the fragrance is sweet, then it’s ripe and ready. With a moderately long shelf life, cantaloupes ripen off the vine and are harvested before they’re ripe so they’ll arrive at the grocery store at their peak.
Are cantaloupes good for you?
The fiber, potassium, and vitamin C present in cantaloupe are vital nutrients for your heart health. Potassium can help to lower high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart disease. Fiber helps to decrease levels of “bad cholesterol” in your body. It can also keep your blood pressure in check.
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.
How can you tell if a melon is ripe?
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.
What can I do with under ripe cantaloupe?
Uses for an Unripe Cantaloupe Turning it into a soup — with mangos, or a white gazpacho with grapes and almonds. Making a melon jam or chutney. Using it as a thick base for a smoothie, or blending it with lime juice and honey for cantaloupe agua fresca.
How do you make cantaloupe sweeter?
Watermelons, cantaloupes, and honeydews lean sweet—and that’s why they play so well with salt, vinegar, and cheese. Sweet, ripe, summer melons are better with salt. Salt makes their flavor pop. It contrasts their sweetness and accentuates their refreshing qualities.
Does cantaloupe burn belly fat?
Cantaloupe doesn’t burn fat, but it can help you get leaner by reducing your energy intake. For example, you can use it as a substitute for bagels, chips, cookies and other snacks to cut back on carbs and stay full longer.
Does cantaloupe lower blood pressure?
The plentiful vitamins and minerals in cantaloupes can sometimes cause problems: Potassium. Cantaloupes are a good source of this mineral, which can help lower your blood pressure.
Can I eat cantaloupe at night?
Melons such as watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew are all high in water, which means they are typically high in volume and low in calories — making them an excellent choice on any weight loss plan. All three are low-calorie, nutrient-dense choices for late night snacking, and they will all satisfy a sweet tooth.
How long does cantaloupe take to ripen?
How long does it have to grow? Cantaloupe matures in about 80 to 90 days. Melons are normally ready to harvest when they start turning yellow on the bottom and the stem starts turning brown.
What is the sweetest cantaloupe?
7 Sweetest Cantaloupe Varieties to Grow (& How to Get Seeds) Cantaloupe Variety Brix (sugar %) Days to Maturity Sugar Cube 11-14% 80 days Honey Rock 13.1% 80 to 85 days El Gordo 10-16% 75 to 85 days Hannah’s Choice 12-14% 75 to 85 days.
Will cantaloupe ripen after being cut open?
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.
Is there a difference between muskmelon and cantaloupe?
The term “cantaloupe” refers to two varieties of muskmelon: the North American cantaloupe (C. melo var. While all cantaloupes are muskmelons, not all muskmelons are cantaloupes. In addition to cantaloupe, other varieties of muskmelon include honeydew, Persian melon, and Santa Claus melon.
Can fruit still ripen after cut?
A Cutting fruit damages cells and removes the protective peel, exposing the flesh to the environment and altering its chemistry. Some fruit does actually continue ripening. Fruits that can ripen after picking — including melons, peaches, apples, avocados, mangoes, pears and tomatoes — are called climacteric fruits.
What do I do if my cantaloupe isn’t sweet?
The salt brings out what little flavor a bad melon has and compensates for any lack of sweetness. It works, truly—trust me. Since, I’ve introduced this idea to the office, and it turns out there are even other ways to gussy up an otherwise drab melon. Some swear by a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice.
What does an under ripe watermelon look like?
Look at Its Belly Watermelons have an underside, or belly – which is in contact with the ground throughout its growth – called a “field spot.” This spot on a ripe watermelon will be yellowish (sometimes referred to as “buttery”) and not white, which indicates an unripe melon.
What goes well with cantaloupe?
Common flavor pairings for cantaloupe sour cream. mayonnaise. grape. vinegar. sour cream. olive oil. cucumber. lemon. mayonnaise. honey. prosciutto. olive oil. basil.
How many cantaloupes do you get from one plant?
Unlike other varieties, the vines only spread up to three feet. Each plant can produce anywhere from four to eight delicious melons.
Is frozen cantaloupe good?
Properly stored, it will maintain best quality for about 10 to 12 months, but will remain safe beyond that time. The freezer time shown is for best quality only – cantaloupe that has been kept constantly frozen at 0°F will keep safe indefinitely.
