Did you know that there are over forty types of melon currently grown? The Kiss family is probably the sweetest of all which is why some of their members are named “Honey Kiss” and “Sugar Kiss”.
Those of you who usually consider melons watery and tasteless you’re in for a pleasant surprise with this variety. A ripe sugar kiss melon is flavorful, soft, sweet and juicy.
We recommend that you eat them in the swimming pool or with a box of wet wipes nearby!
However, sugar kiss melons’ unsurpassed taste and juiciness are best apparent when the fruit is properly ripe. That brings us to our featured question of the day: How do you know if a sugar kiss melon is ripe?
When Are Sugar Kiss Melons Ripe For Harvest?
You should start seeing these melons in markets and stores from June. As with any fruit, it is best to wait a couple of weeks after the first ones appear, as the first ones picked are often not at their peak.
They are abundant between July and August and this is the best time to buy.
How To Recognize Sugar Kiss Melons
These melons are slightly oval to almost round. They have yellowish skin with a corky “netting” covering it.
How Are They Different From Cantaloupes?
Ripe sugar kiss melons are vastly superior in flavor and texture to cantaloupes. They have a more concentrated, sweeter taste and are incredibly juicy.
Also, the soft, melting flesh goes right the way to the skin – unlike other melons that get a hard rind inside the skin. This means less wastage!
How To Tell If A Sugar Kiss Melon Is Ripe
Now that you know how to recognize them and what these luscious melons taste like, let’s answer today’s question. These melons are usually harvested ripe so you are almost guaranteed to get a ripe one in the store or at the farmers’ market.
There is usually a label on the melon itself or the netting it is packaged in to say that they are ripe and ready to eat.
For those who want to check the ripeness for themselves, there are a few ways to tell. Tap the melon gently with your hand. It should have a hollow sound if it is ripe.
Give the melon a sniff – a ripe melon usually has a musky, sweetish odor. An unripe one will not have any smell.
After checking your melon for ripeness, make sure it doesn’t have any soft places, bruises, or black moldy spots. Avoid any with deep indentations – your melon should be firm and round.
If you are growing them at home and wondering if your sugar kiss melons are ready for harvest, try gently twisting the fruit away from its stem. If it doesn’t come away easily, it is not ready yet.
How To Eat Your Ripe Sugar Kiss Melon
Use your ripe melon within a few days of purchase. You can extend its life a little by storing it in the fridge. It is best to eat these simply as they are to enjoy the undiluted texture and taste.
Simply slice them and eat them like that or cut them into wedges and eat them with a spoon. Sugar kiss melons are delicious cubed and mixed into a fruit salad or juiced and drunk as a refreshing beverage.
While they really don’t need any additional enhancement, you can sprinkle the flesh with a little lemon or lime juice, or a little finely grated fresh ginger root.
Is It Safe To Eat A Sugar Kiss Melon Which Isn’t Ripe?
While it probably won’t cause any harm to eat an underripe melon, you will be losing out on a lot of sweetness and flavor.
The sugars in any fruit only start to develop with ripening. It is, therefore, well worth using our tips to check if your melon is ripe.
The Bottom Line
Don’t be afraid to try out this wonderful new melon variety. You’re sure to find it sweet and delicious. Now that you know how to tell when they’re ripe, what do you have to lose?
It’s smell.
You can sometimes walk by them and smell them from afar.
I’m not sure if picked to earlier they never become more sweeter.