Tips For Picking Tricky Produce

Most of us can go to the store and buy apples or grapes without wondering if they are ripe enough or too ripe, but some fruits and veggies tend to be a little trickier.

Below are some of the most common items that people pinch, smell and knock on.


Fruits

• Apricots – Always look for plump, orange fruit that has a slight give when you press with your thumb. Home ripening is not recommended. Eat ripe fruit immediately or refrigerate.
• Mangos – Smell the stem end of a mango. If it has a full fruity aroma, it is ripe. If it gives too much to gentle pressure, it is too ripe.
• Melons – Choose a melon with a sweet smell, feels heavy for it's size and gives slightly at the stem end.
• Papayas – Ripe fruit should be yellow speckled and the stem end should give slightly to light pressure.
• Peaches – They should smell sweet and be streaked with both pink and yellow. Peaches are fragile and have a very short shelf life. Look for fruit that is slightly under ripe and finish ripening at home. If you cannot eat immediately refrigerate.
• Pineapples – Never choose a pineapple that is completely green. A nice golden color should go up the fruit from the base. You should be able to smell a mild aroma of pineapple from the base, not a fermented smell. Pineapples should be firm but have some give. Always look for pineapples from Hawaii rather than other countries because they are shipped faster, often by a week.

Veggies

• Artichokes – Look for a deep green, tight leaf formation. They should feel heavy for their size. To test freshness, press the leaves together and listen for a squeaking sound.
• Asparagus – Choose asparagus with closed, compact, firm tips. Most of the spear should be bright green. Avoid spears with spreading tips or vertical ridges in the stem.
• Broccoli – Stems should be firm with no yellow and flowers should be tightly packed and closed.
• Eggplant – Smaller, immature eggplants taste the best, large ones can be bitter. Choose an eggplant that feels heavy for it's size and has smooth skin and a plump feel. It should have a little give with light pressure but bounce back.
• Lettuce – Heads should be slightly firm and the leaves tight. Immature lettuce will feel like there is air in the middle when squeezed.
• Squash (Summer) – A tender squash will feel plump but not hard and have a glossy look to the skin. Over ripe squash will have dull skin and feel hard with very little give.
• Squash (Winter) – Winter squash should have a hard, tough rind and feel heavy for it's size. Avoid tender rinds, it is a sign of immaturity and bitter taste.