Do you knock it, slap it, or cut it with a knife?

The answer is - act according to what you find more effective.  It seems we all have a different method of how to choose the perfect watermelon.  In the  produce section I was leaning over the huge cardboard carton filled to the top with watermelons and I was not alone.  Another lady was doing the same thing.  She was knocking on the watermelons with her knuckles while I was slapping them with my open hand.  I began to chat with her re: selecting the ripe one, as the knocking does not tell me anything, whereas the slapping will create a thud which tells me it is more open inside, less dense and thus more likely to be ripe.  She said "I grew up in Moultrie, Georgia and I know my watermelons".  So, I invited her to knock on the one I had chosen and tell me if she thought it was ripe.  She did rap and said yes, it was ready.  So, I thanked her and put it in my buggy.  In parting I said when I eat this watermelon I will remember you and if it is good, I will remember you fondly.  She smiled knowingly as I walked away.  Neither of us had mentioned that there are other ways to make the right choice.  Walter Reeves our Georgia guru of gardening says you can tell by the creamy color of the side where the watermelon touched the ground while growing.  I suppose you could use all three methods just to be sure.

Sitting on top of the pile of watermelons were two long boxes with red knives in them.  Someone passing by said "I don't need to buy a knife to cut a watermelon".  Then I remembered my father's method of choosing the perfect one.  He would stop by a roadside market where he was well known, and choose one he thought would be ready.   He then would take out his pocket knife and  deftly carve out a triangle chunk to see how red it was.  I did not hear of him being reprimanded for doing this so he must have been very accurate in his choices thus buying the one he cut!!

Buying that first watermelon of the season is a bit stressful.  You are hungry for cold, red, melon and the chance of choosing an under ripe one is cause for concern.  After you have lugged it home, put it in the fridge for proper cooling, waited patiently, and when the  crowd is there to help eat it, you do not want anything but the best red melon you ever had!!

Some people like to use salt and say it brings out the flavor.  I think there is merit to that claim, but mainly it needs to be very cold, very ripe (but not over ripe).  And there is always the decision of choosing a fork or a spoon, everyone has a favorite.   Then there are those who just want a wedge to chomp into with no spoon, no fork, no salt, just sink your teeth in and enjoy.  Where do you come down on this issue?  I suppose it doesn't matter for there are so many types of these favorite summer melons that everyone should be pleased.  If you happen to buy one with seeds don't forget to save them for the critters out in your landscape.  They will enjoy them even if you do not.