LESS RAIN MAKES SWEETER WATERMELONS

     On May 14th of 2011, I attended for the first time the Taiwan Watermelon Festival in Taipei. I was amazed at the sizes of hundreds of watermelons being displayed for competitions. They are actually thrice the size if Philippine watermelons.
     With much less rain this year, watermelons are tasting sweeter. The sweetness of the watermelons sampled during the contest had an average sweetness slightly over 134 degrees Brix (as explained by one staff)- a standard measurement of sugar content.
     The month of May marks the beginning of the watermelon season. The strange weather at the beginning of the year with cold and hot temperatures fluctuating abnormally has caused the growth of watermelons to be unstable. The jury in the competition makes selections according to specific criteria for weight, appearance, shape, sweetness, as well as the quality and color of the fleshy center. The watermelon's appearance must appeal to the eye and be flawless, without any scars left by insects. The shape must be normal. The fleshy center must be crispy, delightful, smooth and juicy. The sweetness should measure at least 10 degrees Brix, and the sweeter the watermelon, the higher the score.

     Unstable weather this year has caused the watermelons to look worse than the past years, but since it has raines much less the watermelons are tasting much sweeter. As a consumer of watermelon, I will undoubtedly find a tasty one for sure.