Let's talk about your melons...

When you are choosing melons check the stem end.  It should look like a "innie belly button".  If it looks like an "outie belly button" it means that it was pulled off the vine.  When a melon is fully ripe it will let go of the vine with little resistance meaning there will be no stem attached to the melon.  Don't be afraid to smell the melons.  It should smell like a melon, kinda sweet and fragrant.  If it smells like dirt it is probably not ripe.  When dealing with watermelon, knock on it.  If it sounds hollow it is full of water, meaning it will be very juicy.
Now that you have selected the perfect melon bring it home and store it in your fridge until you are ready to eat it.

Alright now how to cut that giant watermelon.  I remember watching my mom spend an hour carving a watermelon.  When I started culinary school and was shown how to properly cut a melon (which should only take 5 min!) I was blown away!!!!  Let me teach you how...

Tools:
Big cutting board

Serrated knife (we will discuss quality, utilitarian knifes another time)

Container, platter or baggies to store fruit

Start by washing your melon thoroughly.  Remember melons are no different than all other fruit, they grown on the ground, are handled by MANY workers, go into dirty cardboard boxes, loaded on semi trucks and are touched by other grocery shoppers.  Now you are going to put that germy melon on your clean cutting board, I think not!

Next cut 2" of the "north and south pole" of the melon.  Stand it on the freshly cut "south pole" and start cutting panels off the sides.  Working around the melon until it is fully "peeled".  Now cut directly through the fruit from north to south pole.  Gently scoop out the seeds.  Now lay the 1/2 a melon cut side down.  Carefully cut strips and then cubes. 

Store in sealed container for up to 5 days.  If you have more fruit than you can eat before it goes bad simply spread cubes out onto a cookie sheet and freeze.  Once frozen pop of tray and store in ziploc.  Now when you want a smoothie throw them in the blender instead of ice cubes.  Or throw into your sangria to help keep it cold on a hot day.