• Machinist@lemmy.world
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    12 hours ago

    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.

    • Ark-5@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      6 hours ago

      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.

    • TheRtRevKaiser@sh.itjust.works
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      11 hours ago

      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.

      • Machinist@lemmy.world
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        9 hours ago

        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.