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Melons, watermelons, cherries ... there is no doubt that fruits, like bicycles, are for the summer.
The only problem is how difficult it is to choose a good piece for the uninitiated.
And, although beauty is also inside,
in the case of fruits we need clues that allow us to 'judge' by their physical appearance
when making the purchase.
These are some of the keys so that you do not get caught for a hare (or, rather, cherry for a pillory) and the melon does not come out 'cucumber' again.
Melons and watermelons
There is no fruit with more myths about how to choose the perfect piece than watermelons and melons. As viral as some tweets with infallible tricks are made, it should be clarified that the famous 'yellow spot' of the watermelon simply means that it has ripened in the sun and that spot is the part where the fruit has been resting on the ground. But that the stain is more yellow is not synonymous with guarantee.
Nor is it true that there are "male and female melons"
and that they are more or less sweet depending on their veins. I wish it were that simple.
What is certain is that melon and cucumber are first cousins, of the cucurbit family.
Of the cucurbits of all life.
So, although it hurts, that a melon 'comes out cucumber' only means that it looks like yours.
But do not spread panic!
Next, we collect
eight golden rules (several of them offered by the
OCU
) to choose the best melon and watermelon
.
1.
Buy local and seasonal.
In addition to being the most sustainable option, for melon and watermelon to be at their peak, they
must be taken in their season
: between late May and early September (watermelon) or October (melon).
2.
Pick the melon ... from the top of the pile!
The last will be the first and this also applies to watermelons and melons.
The specimens that are at the top
suffer less blows
and are usually in better condition.
3.
No cracks.
Although we should not be obsessed with finding a perfect piece from an aesthetic point of view, it is true that
cracks allow the fruit to oxidize more easily
or they can become a 'drain' for bugs.
4.
Choose watermelons 'by ear'.
The watermelon is tapped lightly and if it is just right it will sound hollow.
When it is too mature the sound will be more muffled and muffled.
Although it may seem like a rudimentary technique, studies have been made of pounding watermelons to
find out if based on the sound we can know if the watermelon is good or bad
.
The truth is that they have not yet found the 'infallible tone'.
5.
The pressure: not too much, not too little.
When squeezing the melon by the ends,
if it is at its point, the base will give way slightly
and the other end (the peduncle) will bulge a little.
If there is a lack of firmness (that is, if our finger sinks) it is possible that the fruit is stale or that it has suffered damage.
6.
The smell is not deceiving.
When choosing melons and watermelons, smell also matters:
the peduncle area must smell fresh
.
If the smell is sour, it may be stale.
7.
That weighs more than it seems.
It is something really subjective, but, if when you take the watermelon or melon they weigh more than we expect due to their physical appearance, it is because at that moment they are
turgid, full of water
, and are suitable to take home.
8.
Choose 'branded' melons and watermelons.
To avoid the 'cucumber lottery', for many years the watermelon and melon industry has been working on
developing brands with specific characteristics
so that due to their physical appearance we can have clues of what we are going to find.
For example, there are melons of brands in which it is known that when a ring appears around the peduncle and the melon turns from green to cream, it is the perfect time to consume.
Should we keep melon and watermelon in the fridge?
Leaving the pre-cut fruit at room temperature, although it is very comfortable, can be a risk by generating a great breeding ground for microorganisms.
In fact, without the intention of frightening, a couple of years ago there was an outbreak of salmonellosis in the United States from consuming watermelon already cut in poor condition.
The solution?
Always keep pre-cut fruit in the fridge and well covered
.
Cherries and picotas
Although many people refer to this fruit interchangeably as "cherries and picotas", the truth is that they are different products:
all pillories are cherries, but not all cherries are pillory
.
The pillory is a kind of cherry that occurs only in some parts of Spain.
The only one with a designation of origin is in Extremadura, in the Jerte valley area.
Although we can look for the logo or seal of the Protected Designation of Origin on the label, these are the clues so that you do not get 'cherry for a pillory':
1.
The pillory is only available for one month.
The pillory season begins precisely now in June, at the end of spring.
2.
The key is in 'the tail'.
The pillory naturally leaves the peduncle (tail) hanging on the tree.
How can we know if the tail has been hanging on the tree or has been pulled out manually?
If the tail stays in the tree, the hole 'heals' perfectly
.
If we press the pillory, nothing will happen, no liquid will come out.
However, if we manually pluck the tail from a cherry and squeeze it, droplets will appear because there is no scar and the wound is 'fresh'.
3.
Size matters, also in the pillory.
Let's not get carried away by the siren songs of the largest and most beautiful cherries because
the flavor is not proportional to the size
.
The size of the pillory is smaller.
4.
The red color of the pillory is more intense and darker than that of the cherries.
5.
The meat is smoother and firmer and this makes it crisp when put in the mouth.
Should we keep cherries and picotas in the fridge?
Unlike other fruits, once harvested the cherry does not continue to ripen.
We could say that by uprooting it from the tree 'it begins to die'.
To extend its shelf life, it is advisable to store the cherries in the refrigerator, without washing
.
They will be washed when they are going to eat and, please, let's forget this custom of washing the cherries in a bowl on the table, dragging the dirt from the previous one on each cherry.
They are washed under the running tap, carefully.
Say no to Oparín's 'cherry-soup'.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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