Watermelons, cantaloupes, and honeydews lean sweet—and that’s why they play so well with salt, vinegar, and cheese. Sweet, ripe, summer melons are better with salt. Salt makes their flavor pop. It contrasts their sweetness and accentuates their refreshing qualities.
Does putting salt on cantaloupe make it sweeter?
In small doses, salt magnifies melons sweetness and enhances the flavor. Try it and see just how much better your melon tastes.
How can I make cantaloupe taste better?
Some swear by a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice. This complements the inherent anti-flavor going on and provides a kick where there wasn’t one before. Others swear by Tajín, a spicy, lime-y seasoning that hails from Mexico. One editor mentioned herbs like mint.
Why do people put salt on watermelon and cantaloupe?
Salt is a great way to enhance these fruits’ natural sweetness. Salting watermelon also improves the fruit’s texture. A little sprinkling of salt brings all the liquid to the surface of the water-rich fruit. As a result, each bite is guaranteed to be juicy and sweet.
What fruits can you put salt on?
Salting fruit, of course, is a practice that exists across cultures. A Dominican friend swears by sprinkling it on a bowl of mango slices, apple slices, and grapes. Two other friends, Filipino-raised and Indonesian-born, respectively, reach for salt on pineapple or strawberries, and say that it’s an Asian thing.
How do you make cantaloupe sweeter after cutting?
To speed up the ripening of your cantaloupe in a brown paper bag, make sure to place a banana, apple, or other ethylene-producing fruit in the bag along with your cantaloupe.
Is putting salt on fruit a southern thing?
Salt on fruit is by no means only a Southern tradition. Watermelon has always been a precious commodity in Japan, where they also share a long history of salt products paired with watermelon.
What is a good seasoning for cantaloupe?
Watermelons, cantaloupes, and honeydews lean sweet—and that’s why they play so well with salt, vinegar, and cheese. Sweet, ripe, summer melons are better with salt. Salt makes their flavor pop. It contrasts their sweetness and accentuates their refreshing qualities.
What spices are good on cantaloupe?
Spiced Cantaloupe
- perfectly ripe cantaloupe, chilled in the fridge.
- pinch cardamom.
- pinch paprika.
- pinch coarse sea salt.
How do you dress up a cantaloupe?
Directions. In a mixing bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, honey, lime juice and lime zest. Pour over cantaloupe and toss gently to coat. Spoon into serving dishes and top with a thin slice of lime or fresh sprig of mint.
Does putting salt on fruit make it sweeter?
Though there’s almost nothing better than perfectly ripe fruit, adding a pinch of salt can actually boost the fruit’s natural sweetness and also reduce the bitterness of unripened fruit.
Why do Southerners salt watermelon?
Salt is commonly used to dampen bitter flavors—Brussels sprouts or leafy greens are a good example—so when the bitterness of the watermelon is masked by the salt, the sugary sweetness shines. Salt also activates your salivary glands, so a bit of salt is enough to make watermelon seem juicier.
Why do Japanese put salt on watermelon?
It is common in Japan to eat watermelon with a bit of salt to make them taste even sweeter, but my guess is that coming from abroad you wouldn’t like that. Instead, you can use your Japanese watermelon to make all kinds of unique drinks and dishes!
Should you sprinkle salt on fruits?
Though there’s almost nothing better than perfectly ripened fruit, adding a pinch of salt actually amplifies the fruit’s natural flavor—making it essentially a more enhanced version of itself—while sprinkling a pinch of salt to unripened fruit can actually reduce its bitterness.
Why we should not sprinkle salt on fruits?
A:Salt does not neutralise the good content of fruits per se. Salt has been linked to causing high blood pressure.
Can you eat watermelon and cantaloupe together?
What fruit goes well with watermelon? Strawberries, banana, mango, pineapple, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, tomato, blackberry, peaches, plums, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, orange, pomegranate, apple, red grapes, green grapes, pears, grapefruit, and kiwi are the fruits that pair well.
How do you fix tasteless cantaloupe?
He’d rub some salt across his slice of melon with his forefinger. Initially, I was doubtful, but after trying it out, I saw that he was onto something. The salt brings out what little flavor a bad melon has and compensates for any lack of sweetness. It works, truly—trust me.
Why are my cantaloupe not sweet?
Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo) flavor depends upon environmental conditions. High rainfall or excessive irrigation as the cantaloupes near maturity will adversely affect fruit flavor. Also, diseases which reduce the vigor of the plant and the leaves’ ability to produce sugar will affect fruit flavor.
How can you tell when a cantaloupe is ripe and sweet?
The first signal that a cantaloupe (or a muskmelon) is getting ripe is the color under the netting of the fruit changes from green to tan. A ripe cantaloupe also tends to have a pleasant aroma. Finally, check the spot at top of the melon where it attaches to the vine.
Do you put pepper on cantaloupe?
The pepper complements the intense sweetness of the melon and helps to round out the flavor. I nudged him and said, “OK! I get it now!” After dinner, I pulled out my phone to search for “cantaloupe with pepper,” and sure enough, it’s a well-known way to season the Summer fruit.
Does anyone put salt on watermelon?
Sprinkling watermelon with salt is traditionally a southern thing, and after giving it a go, I can see why it’s now gaining popularity all over the country. The opposing savory flavor really brings out the sweetness of a fresh watermelon slice, and somehow, makes it taste even sweeter.