Honeydew How-To!

There are actually many ways to cut and eat a honeydew melon. After rinsing well to remove dirt or other residue that may be on the rind, the melon can be cut widthwise or lengthwise and left in halves or cut into quarters—the main thing is to scoop the seeds out.

Typically, honeydews (and other members of the muskmelon group, such as cantaloupe and Crenshaw melons) are sliced in half with a sharp knife, and the seeds and pulp at the center are scooped out with a spoon, making sure not to take any of the adjacent tender, sweet flesh. The melon may then be served as-is in halves or cut into quarters or eighths so that the flesh is spooned directly out of the rind (or removed with a melon-baller for fruit salad). Honeydew quarters or eighths may also be cut from the rind and sliced into bite-sized pieces for serving.

Before cutting, however, you’ll want to make sure your melon is ripe! The best indicator of ripeness is aroma. If the honeydew’s sweet, lightly floral fragrance is noticeable, it’s probably ready to cut and eat. The outside of the melon should feel firm but give slightly to pressure, particularly on the end where the stem was. If it feels rock-hard, give it a little more time.

Aside from being delicious, honeydew melon is a great source of vitamin C. One cup of diced melon (about an eighth of an average-sized honeydew) contains more than 50 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C! It’s also a good source of folate and potassium.