How to Pick a Sweet Watermelon... The Old Mexican Way

There is no luck in picking a watermelon. My grandmother sold fruit for 40 years in Michoacán, and she could pull the sweetest one out of any pile, every single time. Here are the 7 simple tests she taught me. They take about 90 seconds, cost nothing, and work at any grocery store or farm stand. 🍉 THE 7 MARKET TESTS 1. La Panza (the belly): Flip it over. A deep buttery yellow spot (even a little orange) means it ripened on the vine. White means it was picked early. Green means put it back. 2. La Colita (the little tail): A brown, dry stem and tendril means ripe. Green means it was cut too soon. 3. El Apretón (the press): You want a slight spring under your thumb. Rock-hard is unripe. Spongy is overripe. 4. El Golpe (the knock): Hold it in one palm and knock with a knuckle. A deep, hollow drum you can feel in your other hand means it's ripe. 5. El Peso (the weight): Compare two melons of the same size. The heavier one wins. 6. La Forma (the shape): Round and even beats lumpy or flat-sided. 7. La Telaraña (the spider web): Brown "sugar lines" on the rind. More webbing means more sweetness. BONUS, El Calado: Check the store's pre-cut halves from the same bin. Deep red all the way to the rind with dark seeds means a good batch. SERVE IT MEXICAN STYLE: Chill it, cut it into triangles, and add lime, chile powder and a pinch of salt. Blend the leftovers with cold water and lime for agua de sandía. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 The bad watermelon problem 1:31 My grandmother's fruit stall in Uruapan 3:08 Test 1: La Panza (the belly) 5:00 Test 2: La Colita (the little tail) 6:18 Test 3: El Apretón (the press) 7:33 Test 4: El Golpe (the knock) 9:31 Test 5: El Peso (the weight) 10:49 Test 6: La Forma (the shape) 12:54 Test 7: La Telaraña (the spider web) 14:22 Where it all comes together 15:29 Why nobody teaches this anymore 16:38 The one thing no store will let you do Which test had you never heard of? And if your abuela had her own trick for picking a melon, tell me in the comments, along with where she was from. I read every one. Subscribe for more of the old ways my family did things. Next up: how my grandmother picked the perfect mango and avocado. #watermelon #howtopickawatermelon #mexicanfood #abuela #sandia #gardening #homesteading #oldways #summerfruit #aguafresca