Paper Palate

Summer is the season for outdoor picnics and nearly every picnic includes slices of cool watermelon for dessert. Since you cannot see the fruit inside, selecting and storing a fresh, uncut watermelon requires careful consideration. In a recent Chicago Sun-Times, Sandy Thorn Clark provides some useful tips for watermelon selection in her Swap Shop column of the weekly Food section, courtesy The National Watermelon Promotion Board. As Ms. Clark reminds us, most everyone thumps a watermelon to test it for quality and freshness, but The National Watermelon Promotion Board recommends some better suggestions for proper watermelon selection:

Choose a firm, symmetrical watermelon free of bruises, cuts and dents.

Lift it up: The watermelon should feel heavy for its size — it’s 92 percent water.

Turn it over. On the underside of the watermelon, there should be a creamy, yellow spot from where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.

Regarding proper storage, The National Watermelon Promotion Board advises:

The board says that watermelons need a more “tropical” climate — a thermometer reading of 55 degrees is ideal. However, whole melons will keep for seven to 10 days at room temperature. Store them too long, and they’ll lose flavor and texture. Once cut, a melon should be wrapped and stored between 37 degrees and 39 degrees.

Remember these helpful hints, when preparing for your weekend picnic and enjoy the best selections of a most refreshing summertime treat!