The quest for the perfect watermelon is a summer tradition, synonymous with the pursuit of the sweetest, juiciest fruit to grace picnics and gatherings. This guide distills the essence of selecting a watermelon that promises to be both ripe and sweet, ensuring your summer days are filled with the refreshing taste of this beloved fruit.
Understanding Watermelon Ripeness
The journey to finding the perfect watermelon begins with an examination of the stem. A brown stem signifies a watermelon that ripened naturally on the vine, absorbing the sun’s warmth and the soil’s nutrients until it reached peak maturity. In contrast, a green stem indicates a premature pick, where the fruit was plucked before its time, leaving its potential sweetness untapped.
The Significance of the Yellow Spot
A key indicator of a watermelon’s ripeness is the presence of a yellow spot. This spot, often found on the belly of the fruit, tells a story of the watermelon’s time basking in the sun. A pronounced yellow spot is a testament to the watermelon’s adequate sun exposure, contributing to its ripeness. A faint white spot, or the absence of one, suggests a lack of sunbathing, leading to a less ripe fruit.
Assessing Firmness and Sound
The texture and sound of a watermelon provide critical clues to its internal state. Gently pressing on the watermelon should reveal a slight give, indicating ripeness. A watermelon that feels too hard and unyielding suggests it is underripe. Moreover, the sound a watermelon makes when tapped can reveal its water content—a hollow sound signifies a fruit bursting with water, while a dull sound may indicate a lack of juiciness.
Putting Theory into Practice
With these insights, the pursuit of the perfect watermelon becomes an informed search for specific traits: a brown stem, a prominent yellow spot, a slight give upon pressing, and a hollow sound when tapped. These indicators, when present together, promise a watermelon that is not only ripe but also abundantly sweet and juicy.
Upon bringing your selected watermelon home, the moment of truth arrives as you cut into the fruit. A ripe watermelon will reveal a deep red flesh, an indicator of its concentrated sweetness. The texture will be crisp, yet tender, filled with succulent juices that confirm its ripe status. The taste test is the final verification, where the sweetness of the watermelon fulfills the promise of a meticulously selected fruit.
Enjoying the Fruits of Your Labor
Selecting the perfect watermelon is an art form that combines observation, touch, and sound. The reward for this careful selection process is a watermelon that enhances summer meals and gatherings with its optimal sweetness and hydration. Whether enjoyed in slices, cubes, or as part of a refreshing salad, the perfect watermelon stands as a testament to the joy of summer eating.
The journey to finding the perfect watermelon is marked by attention to detail and an appreciation for the subtle cues nature provides. By following these guidelines, you can elevate your watermelon selection process, ensuring that each fruit you bring home meets the criteria for ripeness and sweetness. Embrace the challenge, and let the quest for the perfect watermelon become a cherished summer ritual.
Horrifying moment Eddie Hall passed out doing brutal strongman challenge that most people wouldn’t dare to attempt
When it comes to Strongmen, Eddie Hall just has to be one of the most famous in Britain.
The bloke’s a legend and has delivered us with all sorts of memorable moments from knocking out two brothers in one round during his MMA debut to that time he leg pressed 1,000kg.
But the former UK’s Strongest Man doesn’t half put himself through it, that’s for sure. Like during a previous competition, when footage captured the horrifying moment Hall passed out during a brutal Strongman challenge that most people wouldn’t dare to even attempt.
The now 36-year-old was participating in the Conan’s Wheel event, titled after the famed character of ‘muscle and might’ – Conan the Barbarian.
Conan’s Wheel is tipped by Strongman as a ‘test of unrivalled endurance and strength’ that demands ‘not just muscle power but mental stamina’.
Basically, it’s a yards-long bar, fitted onto a pivot and at the end of ‘Conan’s Bar’ are typically weights that the athlete must then lift and carry around.
The dreaded challenge is now a vital component in premier strength competitions around the world but certainly isn’t for the faint hearted.
And when Hall was competing to become Britain’s Strongest Man in 2014, the video shows just what it put him through.
The commentator can be heard saying: “This is mind over matter and his mind says the pain does not matter,” as The Beast carries the bar.
As he completes full circles of the wheel, it’s noted that Hall is going slower than his competitor as they explain that with ‘his body shape, you wouldn’t expect him to do particularly well here’.
He appears to be starting to struggle as his arms start to ‘sink down to his waist’ and he’s ‘barely able to move’.
As he gets slower, Hall then drops the bar, falling to his knees and onto his back as he appears to pass out after doing 720 degrees of ‘Conan’s Circle’.
Hall collapsed to the floor. ( Giants Live STRONGMAN/YouTube)
Crew then rush over to the Strongman as he soon comes round and gets back to his feet ‘covered in paint and covered in glory’.
You certainly can’t knock Hall’s determination, it still worked out for him, as he ended up winning his first Britain’s Strongest Man title that year.
That started off an impressive run for him, as he won his fifth straight Britain’s Strongest Man competition in 2018 before retiring from the competitions shortly after. What a legend.
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