It’s one of the sounds of summer: thump! thump! thump-thump-thump! You can hear people tapping watermelons in grocery store produce sections and farmers markets, trying to find the sweetest, most perfectly ripe one to take home. It turns out there’s a better way to pick a watermelon. Jesse James Wiggins, who has worked on his parents’ Texas watermelon farm all his life, says the best way to pick a good watermelon is to “look, lift and turn.” Wiggins says you should make sure the watermelon looks good on the outside. Check that the surface is smooth with no visible dents, cuts, or bruises. Then, turn the watermelon; it should have a creamy yellow spot, or belly. This is where the melon was resting on the ground as it grew. A golden color indicates that it was undisturbed in the spot that it grew and was able to reach maturity, meaning a riper, sweeter melon. A pale belly may indicate that it was harvested prematurely. Rob Gibson, farmer and president of the Florida Watermelon Association, isn’t a thumper either. His preferred way of picking a watermelon relies on a different visual cue: the stripes. Check the width of the alternating light and dark lines that run down the length of the melon. The wider and fuller the lighter lines are, the riper it is. The next step is to lift the watermelon, but not just one. Wiggins says the watermelon should be heavy for its size, which means it’s a full, juicy melon without any empty space. If a melon is light in comparison to others of comparable size, then it's most likely overripe or hollow. If you still insist on thumping, Gibson does offer a bit of advice. It should sound solid and not dull. If it sounds dull, it could indicate that it's hollow, bruised, or overripe. “The consumer shouldn't have to worry about what they're getting," said Gibson, "that's our job, but no one is perfect."
