Cool, refreshing honeydew is a summer staple. Tossed into fruit salads, blended into a sorbet or skewered on kebobs, it's more versatile than you might think.

Learn how to cut honeydew and you’ll be enjoying it all summer long. Use a sharp knife that’s the right size for the melon, like Cutco’s Hardy Slicer, which works great on a medium-sized honeydew. Its sharp Double-D® edge easily slices through the rind and flesh for safe, smooth cutting.

To experience honeydew’s full flavor, find one that is at the peak of ripeness. It doesn’t ripen once picked, so it takes time for it to reach its full potential. Before buying one, shake it. If you hear the seeds rattling around that’s a good sign of ripeness. The stem should also give a little when you apply a little pressure, but avoid melons with soft spots.

If you cut a honeydew and realize that it’s not quite ripe, toss it with some fresh lemon juice, sugar or honey and let the fruit sit at room temperature for a while to bring out its sweetness.

How to Cut Honeydew

1. Use a Hardy Slicer to trim off the ends of the honeydew.
2. Stand the melon up on one end and trim away the rind.
3. Cut the honeydew in half lengthwise.
4. Use a spoon to scrape the seeds out from the center of each half.
5. Lay the halves flat on the cutting board and cut in half to create quarters.
6. Slice the quarters lengthwise and then rotate to cut crosswise into chunks.