The cantaloupe amazes the senses with dense, aromatic sweetness. However, picking one at peak ripeness isn't as easy as it sounds.

First, put your senses to work, tapping into your sense of smell. A primary indicator of a ripe cantaloupe is a deeply sweet, fruity fragrance with gentle, musky tones.

Next, eyeball the melon and look for a uniformly tan or creamy yellow color rather than green. Likewise, you want a net-like texture, as it's likely unripe if it's too smooth.

Let your hands contribute to the process. Find the end spot where the stem once lived, and press gently on the indentation. A hard stem spot means it's less likely to be ripe.

It’s perfectly fine to tap the cantaloupe, similar to how some people listen to watermelons. If you get a hollow and high sound, put it down. If it’s low and deep, take it home.