Ready or not? The expert guide to buying fruit – so it is always ripe and delicious
Whether you are planning to eat it today or keep it for later, here is how to pick the perfect produce, every time
September and October is harvest time for much of the homegrown fruit we enjoy in the UK – apples, pears and autumnal berries are abundantly available. But shops and supermarkets are also stacked with fruit from all over the world – apples and pears, yes, but tropical fruit and avocados, too. All of this may look colourful and appealing, but it may not be ripe at all. To the untrained eye, a ripe melon may be indistinguishable from one that won’t be ready to eat for a week. How do you tell if something is at its best, past its best – or rock hard and sour because it needs more time?
There are some universal clues to look out for, most importantly colour and smell. Generally speaking, ripe fruit is fragrant, and as emphatically the colour it’s supposed to be as possible. Beyond that, there are techniques and strategies for specific crops. Here’s how to gauge the ripeness of everything from avocados and bananas to pears and pumpkins.
Continue reading...Date: |
More from The Guardian
-
The Guardian - World
New Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon as Hezbollah confirms death of senior commander
Lebanon says only US can end conflict, as Hezbollah confirms death of Ibrahim Qubaisi in Israeli attack on Beirut. Analysis: Israel escalation based on risky belief it can bomb Hezbollah into a ...2 hours ago - Israel -
The Guardian - World
China conducts first public test launch of intercontinental ballistic missile
The ICBM, carrying a dummy warhead, was launched by the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force into the Pacific Ocean. China has publicly acknowledged for the first time that it successfully ...2 hours ago - China -
The Guardian - World
Top Chinese economist disappears after criticising Xi Jinping in private chat – report
Zhu Hengpeng, who worked for an influential government thinktank, has reportedly not been seen in public since making disparaging remarks on WeChat. A leading Chinese economist at a government ...47 minutes ago - China -
The Guardian - World
Zelenskyy appeals to global south to help ‘force Russia into peace’
Ukrainian president accuses Putin of violating UN foundations and says war cannot be ended by talks alone. In a forceful speech to the UN security council, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr ...10 hours ago - Ukraine -
The Guardian - World
EU moving towards more xenophobic view of ‘Europeanness’, report warns
‘Whiteness’, low youth engagement and lukewarm pro-Europeanism in some states risks eroding bloc’s founding values, expert says. Voting patterns and polling data from the past year suggest the EU ...2 hours ago - European Union