Why thump a watermelon

Largely the domain of foragers, the biggest edible fruit in the South has mostly been forgotten. Even Kelly Fields whips up a box of Jiffy every once in a while. The Feel No matter its circumference, the melon should seem heavy for its size—a ripe watermelon is 92 percent water, after all, says Raulerson.

Related Stories:. If the watermelon is ripe, the 'belly spot' will be white or yellow. If you can see the stripes through the belly spot, it may not be ripe. A smooth rind usually indicates a good fruit. Watermelons at the peak of ripeness are normally filled out and blunt on the ends. Melons with pointy ends may still be maturing and not as delicious, Egel said. Consumers who still want to thump the watermelon should listen closely when their finger flicks the fruit.

Sign in. Knowing what to look for will help you pick a delicious melon at the fruit stand. Thump Test? Many other melons also are in season right now.

The way it was described to me was to listen for a hollow sound, but trying to figure out what hollow sounds like is a tough call.

It will come with experience. There is, however, one other surefire way, but it carries with it consequences. Slice it up, pass it out and wait for the compliments. While that is good, there are several options available for taking your melon experience a step further.

Here are a few recipes that use watermelon as the centerpiece. Watermelon and Onion Pickles Makes 1 quart. Layer the watermelon, onion and basil in a quart-size glass container with a lid. Pour it over the fruit, cover, and chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator before serving. The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

Watermelon Salsa 8 servings.