Cooking Tip of the Week: Picking Fresh Fruits & Vegetables

With summer coming up and the rising passion for everyone to start a healthy lifestyle of eating, learning how to pick fresh fruits and vegetables and when they are in season, is key in maintaining that lifestyle. Fresh and/or  fruits and vegetables are healthier and provide more nutrients than anything canned. Here are some tips on how to pick some popular fruits and vegetables that you can use the next time you go to the grocery store or your local Farmer’s Market.

Fruits

Apples – Look for firm apples that are free of bruising and soft spots. Depending on the type of apple you are looking for, make sure the color is true and bright to that particular type. (i.e Red Delicious should be bright red in color, Granny Smith should be bright green etc.) Apples are in season from October to about late April.

Bananas – A banana is ripe when it is bright yellow, and it shouldn’t have bruises or soft spots. If you get bananas that are green then if let at room temperature they will begin to ripen. If bananas are placed in the fridge they ripen too quickly and tend to get brown/black faster. Over ripened bananas can be peeled and placed in the freezer for smoothies, banana ice cream and are great for banana bread 🙂 Bananas are in season all year round.

Blueberries – fresh blueberries should be firm to the touch. These are also great frozen as well. Fresh blueberries are in season from mid June to late August and Frozen all year round 🙂

Cantaloupe – The best cantaloupe is one where the top of the cantaloupe (where it is green) is indented because that means that it fell off the vine and was not cut. When cantaloupe are mature and have the most flavor they naturally fall off the vines. Alsot the skin/rind should be dry, cork like. Make sure the color is cream or yellow with no signs of green. Also if it smells sweet and like cantaloupe it is ripe. Cantaloupe is in season from June to August.

Grapes – Fresh and ripe grapes are firm to the touch, if they are soft then they are over ripe. Grapes are in season from August to September but are imported all year round.

Honey Dew Melon – This melon should be free of bruises and tears in the skin. Their skin/rind should give to slight pressure and they will have a melon fragrance when they are ripe. Honey Dew Melon are in season from August to October.

Oranges – Choose oranges that are heavy for their size and without obvious blemishes. Oranges are in season from about mid-November to late spring. They are sweetest from about January to early March.

Peaches – Choose peaches that have smooth skin without bruises, and that give to slight pressure. Peaches that do not give to pressure can ripen, but often do not get as soft and sweet as those that are already somewhat ripe when you buy them. Peaches are in season from July to September.

Pears – Pears that have smooth skin with no bruises are the best choice. Pears are in season from August to December.

Raspberries – Fresh raspberries are bright red. When choosing raspberries, make sure there is no presence of white, cotton-like strands in and around the berries, this is a type of mold. Raspberries are in season from July to September. If frozen, all year round.

Strawberries – Choose strawberries that are plump, dark red, and without bruises. Fresh berries carry a distinct strawberry fragrance. Strawberries are in season in June and early July.

Watermelon – The best watermelon has a firm, dark green rind. A slight hollow sound when tapping with your knuckles is a sign of it being sweet & juicy. Watermelon is in season from watermelons is from mid-May to late August.

Vegetables

Asparagus – Look for asparagus that are bright green and have straight stalks and firm tips. Asparagus is in season from March to around June.

Avocado – Avocado that have rough textured skin because these are the ones which tend to have more flavor. They are ready to eat when their skin is dark and they give to slight pressure. They are in season from February to October.

Beets – Beets should be firm and attached to green leaves and red stems. Normally if they are not attached to their stems and leaves then they are not their freshest.  Beets are in season from mid June to mid October.

Broccoli – The heads should be tightly budded and be dark green with no black/brown spots. Broccoli is in season from July to October.

Carrots – Look for carrots that are firm and smooth with thin skin, these are normally the carrots that do not have tough centers. if you are buying a bunch of carrots that have the leaves on them then make sure the leaves are as green as possible and that you remove the leaves before you store them because the leaves will take away moisture and nutrients away from the carrots. Even thought carrots are available all year round they are best from July to September.

Cucumbers – They should be firm, unblemished with no soft spots and dark green in color. They are in season from June to September.

Eggplant – Eggplant should be heavy in relation to their size and have smooth skin

Garlic – Fresh garlic should be plump and have firm bulbs and be completely covered in the exterior “skin”. If the garlic starts to have green sprouts then you want to stay away from buying or using it. Garlic is in season from August to October.

Mushrooms – Look for mushrooms with no bruises and they should not be slimy or wrinkly. Mushrooms are in season from October to November.

Onions – When looking for yellow or red onions, choose those that are firm and have no soft spots.If you are looking for green onions, choose those that have bright green leaves and are not slimy. Yellow and Red onions are in season from September to December and Green onions are in season from July to September.

Potatoes – Potatoes should be firm and free of bruises and cracks. Potatoes are in season from September to January.

Red Peppers – Red peppers are best when they have thick, smooth skin and are in season from around May to September.

Spinach – Choose spinach that is dark green with no signs of yellowing, sliminess, or wilting. Spinach is in season from June to October.

Tomatoes – Look for tomatoes that are bright red, firm, and free of bruises. Like strawberries, fresh tomatoes will carry their own distinct fragrance. Tomatoes are in season from August to September.

Winter Squash – Look for squash that have hard, smooth skin. Acorn and butternut squash are in season from September to December.

Yams – Yams that do not have any cracks or soft spots are the best to get. Yams are in season from October to about March.

Zucchini – Choose zucchini that have firm, dark green skin. Old zucchini are soft and wrinkly. Zucchini are in season from July to September.

I hope this will be helpful for you the next time you go shopping for fresh fruit and vegetables. If there was a fruit or vegetable that did not make the list, please feel free to contact me and I will help you out.

Chanelle Watson
Executive Chef/Dessert Connoisseur
Chanelle’s Heavenly Treasures

“the desserts you treasure in one heavenly bite providing the ULTIMATE DESSERT EXPERIENCE”

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