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I hate almost all watermelon and other fruits in the squash family. Similar to cilantro and soap, there is a lesser known bitter chemical that I'm a supertaster of. I can taste if a slice of cucumber is dipped in a gallon of water. Love pickles, however, as cooking destroys the chemical. Those fake-ass refrigerated cucumbers in vinegar sold as premium pickles can suck my balls, especially when a restaurant puts them on a sandwich.
Yellow meat moon and star watermelons don't have this chemical, btw.
Anyhow, grew up farming. The thump test is the superior test for melons. There's a note they ring at that means a properly ripe and sugary melon, can't explain it. My wife has me pick out melons for her and the kids. Everything else is mostly superstition or unreliable like field spots. I can consistently pick a good melon or warn if I can't find a good one.
I'm pretty sure I have the same thing. People look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them cucumber has a strong, awful taste. I've had so many people tell me "cucumber just tastes like crunchy water" but it's SO strong to me.
Yup. I can smell a cucumber being cut across the house. Finding out I can tell sushi places to leave out the cucumber has been amazing.
It's also in cantaloupe, honeydew, yellow squash, pumpkins to a greater or lesser degree, some acorn squash. Zucchini almost never has it and I love it lightly grilled. I've found it in homegrown zucchini before, but never in commercial.
I hate yellow squash even when well cooked but I think that has more to do with childhood, or maybe it has an additional something in it. I can strongly taste when other food has been cooked with squash. Can also smell that musty smell when it's being cut that is different from cucumber/watermelon.
There are dozens of us!
I just want you to know I’ve saved this comment and may or may not return when in need of your melon selecting expertise.
I'll do my best, but it's basically thump it and listen for the right sound.