Okay, you walk into your local chain grocery store hungry for melons which are at the peak of their season. You are hoping for something ripe and sweet. You won't find it. Odds are your fruits have traveled hundreds or even thousands of miles to reach your market. They are picked before they are fully ripe because of the distances they must then travel. Possibly they are sprayed with ethylene gas to promote off the vine ripening. This does not add any sweetness.
And don't fall for "certified organic" a term which is virtually meaningless when it comes to flavor. It just costs you more.
The best thing to do is to buy local when you can. Get up early and visit the farmers markets. You will find salad greens that are crisp and delicious and fruits that are ripe and sweet. You can choose a melon, like the one picture, by sniffing the stem end. You should be able to enhale a bit of sweetness. Try that in a supermarket and you'll just get a musty smell.
If you are lucky enough to have a real green grocer located near you send your business his way. And ask questions.
3 comments:
This is Annie, who you met at Smart Gals (I'm Auntie to my goddaughter, so.) I think I just read your entire blog. You made me miss Chicago! Looking forward to future posts.
Glad to hear you like the blog, Annie. Christine tells me that the Smart Gals events are now a quarterly thing.
What are the chances of the local Catskill farmers market having fresh melon???
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