gettyimages.com*pineapple: tug at the very innermost "leaf" (center), if it comes out easily, it's ripe! also, smell, the bottom. it should smell like a pineapple
*strawberries: should smell like strawberries. this is difficult to do if they are chilled.
*melons: feel heavy for their size, should have little "marks" on them (those tan hard lines of sorts), those come from bugs trying to get at them. the more they have the sweeter the flesh. should also have a flatter bottom with little color, that means they spent a good deal of time on the vine ripening in the sun.
*peaches/nectarines: firm, but softer around the stem. smell like a peach/nectarine
*strawberries: should smell like strawberries. this is difficult to do if they are chilled.
*melons: feel heavy for their size, should have little "marks" on them (those tan hard lines of sorts), those come from bugs trying to get at them. the more they have the sweeter the flesh. should also have a flatter bottom with little color, that means they spent a good deal of time on the vine ripening in the sun.
*peaches/nectarines: firm, but softer around the stem. smell like a peach/nectarine
you can ripen some fruits easily at home: place peaches and nectarines stem side down on your counter or table. check regularly for readiness. pears can get placed in a brown bag for a couple of days to ripen. beware that some fruits like bananas and kiwis emit a gas of sorts that help it to ripen AND will ripen or over-ripen other fruits nearby. be cautious. how do you choose your produce?
3 comments:
i don't by fruit out of season that way i'm more likely to get fresh and ripe produce.
thanks so much! it's good to know what all those little tan lines are on the melons. my mom once said they were bee stings, which showed that the fruit was sweet enough for the bees. i totally thought she made that up. i guess she wasn't too far off.
I read somewhere to ripen a pineapple, stand it upside down on the counter for a few days. It makes the sugar flow toward the top and keeps the pineapple from fermenting at the bottom. When it develops a golden color and smells good, it's ripe.
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