How to Pick
The best way to pick a cantaloupe is by smell. The fruit should have a sweet, slightly musky scent. A good cantaloupe feels heavy for its size, has a rind that resembles raised netting, and has a stem end that yields slightly when pressed with your thumb.
How to Store
Let a not-quite-ready cantaloupe ripen at room temperature for up to two days (keeping it in a closed paper bag will speed up the process). Refrigerate a whole ripe melon for up to five days. For cut wedges of cantaloupe, cover the surfaces and refrigerate for up to three days. (If possible, leave the seeds intact. They prevent the flesh from drying out.) Cubes without the seeds will last one to two days in a resealable container in the refrigerator.
How to Slice and Cube
Wash the rind, then slice off the bottom and top ends of the melon so that it sits squarely on a cutting board. With a knife, from top to bottom, cut away strips of the rind, following the shape of the fruit. Halve the fruit, scoop out the seeds, and slice or cube as desired.
