Choosing (and Cutting) Fruits

There’s nothing like a perfectly luscious strawberry, crisp apple, or juicy watermelon. Besides shopping for fruits at their peak season, it helps to know how to spot – and smell and feel – the very best at your local farmers’ market or grocery store.

Apples

If you’ve frequented a farmers’ market in fall, you’ll know this fruit comes in a multitude of varieties, from McIntosh to Macoun to Honeycrisp. But the ripeness indicators are the same no matter the breed: look for apples that are firm, richly colored,naturally shiny, and heavy for their size. Apples, no matter what variety, should be picked at peak ripeness and kept in the refrigerator.

Apples, unlike peaches, can stay in cold storage for up to a year without any real issues.

Apples continue to ripen even after they are picked. They put off a substance called ethylene gas that continues to soften the skin and flesh day after day. Keeping apples cold helps to slow the emission of this gas, so place them in the bottom crisper drawer in the refrigerator to keep them cool. The same gas that ripens apples will also ripen other fruits and vegetables. If it’s possible, it’s best to keep them separate from other produce, which is another reason the crisper drawer is ideal.

Apple season runs from September to May.

Apricots

Choose fruits that are fragrant and slightly soft but not mushy.

Bananas

Bananas are at peak taste when their skin is bright yellow mottled with a little brown. Choose bright yellow bananas to eat right away or green bananas to ripen at home, as they keep ripening after they’re picked. Avoid fruits that are bruised or split. Just be sure to keep them on your countertop rather than in your fridge. You should keep green bananas far away from the fridge, but once your bananas have completely ripened, you can move them to the fridge where the cool temperatures will keep them from ripening further (for a few days at least). If you store bananas in the fridge they will turn black! However the flesh inside will remain good to eat. Remember to only refrigerate bananas once they are ripe.

To keep a bunch of bananas fresh for longer, wrap the stems in some plastic wrap. Re-cover the bananas with the wrap after removing one. This method prevents ethylene gas, produced naturally in the ripening process, from reaching other parts of the fruit and prematurely ripening it.

Banana lovers are in luck: this fruit is in season year round.

Blueberries

Choose berries that are firm, dry, and blue (not red or green). A white sheen is natural. Also check the bottom of the basket to make sure there aren’t any crushed or spoiled berries. Keep the berries cold and dry – if you wash them before storing, they are likely to turn mouldy quite quickly!

Cherries

Choose cherries that are plump, shiny, and darker in color. Cherries with intact stems have a longer shelf life. Cherries don’t ripen once they’re severed from the plant. What you see in the store is what you will get at home, and should be stored in the fridge to keep them from going bad.

Figs

Choose soft, plump fruits with intact, bent stems. Minor bruises or tears are usually harmless, but avoid buying dry, cracked figs.

Grapefruits

Choose fruits that have smooth, thin skins and are heaviest for their size. They should feel firm but slightly springy to the touch. Don’t worry about color. Grapefruits don’t ripen once they’re severed from the plant. What you see in the store is what you will get at home, and should be stored in the fridge to keep them from going bad.

Grapes

Choose fruits that are firm, plump, and heavy for their size. They should be firmly attached to the stems without wrinkled or brown spots. Grapes don’t ripen once they’re severed from the plant. What you see in the store is what you will get at home, and should be stored in the fridge to keep them from going bad.

Kiwi Fruits

Choose fruits that give slightly when pressed. Avoid fruits that are either rock hard or mushy.

Lemons and Limes

Choose fruits that are fragrant and heaviest for their size. Avoid fruits that are shriveled - citrus dehydrate as water evaporates through the skin. Citrus fruit don’t ripen once they’re severed from the plant. What you see in the store is what you will get at home, and should be stored in the fridge to keep them from going bad.

Mangoes

There are tons of varieties of mangoes, but the ones we get in the U.S. pretty much universally start off green and turn yellow or red as they ripen. You’re looking for as much color as possible, as well as a little give when squeezed, and a nice mango aroma near the stem end.

Melons

Melons are tricksters, there is not a universal rule for their ripening. We must look at them in two camps: those that can continue to ripen off the vine and those that will never change once harvested. A simple rule to determine which is which: those with netted skins and rinds (canteloupe, galia, sharlyn) will continue to ripen and should not be refrigerated until they reach their pinnacle. Those with smooth skin (honeydew, canary, watermelon) will not ripen much more once picked. Chill them or not, it won’t make much difference. When buying smooth skinned melons make sure they are fully ripe!

Cantaloupes and other melons are amongst the group of fruits that do not continue to ripen once they are removed from the vine, so when buying a melon, make sure that it's good—it ain't getting any better at home! Here's what to look for:

• Musky smell: Smell the melon at the end that was attached to the vine (it should have a small indentation, as opposed to the blossom end, which will have a small withered flower). It should smell distinctly sweet and musky.
• Noticeable pale patch: There should be a noticeable flat, pale patch somewhere on the melon where it was resting on the ground. This indicates that it was left sitting on the vine long enough to develop significantly.
• Pale orange skin: The skin behind the netting should be pale orange, or at the very least a very light green. Avoid dark green melons.
• The netting (the pattern on the melon) should be raised and the exterior should be golden (not green).
• Plenty of give: Press the melon on the blossom end. It should give slightly, like a ripe pear.
• Avoid fruits with soft spots

If you grab one that’s a touch too green, stash it in a paper bag for a day or two. It will ripen up.

Oranges

Choose fruits that heaviest for their size and have firm, smooth skins. Don’t worry about color.

For Mandarin oranges, make sure skins are firm, not shriveled.

Papaya

There are four easy things to look for that will help you choose an absolutely perfect papaya.

• Color: A ripe papaya should be fading from a bright green to a nice golden yellow. Some papayas also have a bit of orangey red color on their skin too. It should be about 80% yellow for peak ripeness. Some green spots are okay, it will continue to ripen at home.
• Give: Similar to a ripe avocado, a ripe papaya should have a little bit of give to it when you push your thumb into it. Place gentle pressure on the larger end to check the papaya’s softness. Again, like an avocado, too soft means too ripe. This is especially true on the stem end of the papaya; avoid the fruit if it is too soft there.
• Bruising: Check for bruises and bad spots. As it gets softer when it ripens, a just right papaya may have a few small spots, but generally the skin should be soft and smooth.
• Smell: If you’re still unsure about papaya selection, try smelling the papaya near the stem. It should smell faintly sweet. No smell means it’s not ripe yet, while an unpleasant, strong smell will mean it is overripe and probably starting to ferment.

Peaches

Neither peaches nor nectarines ripen well off the tree, so don’t bother buying rock-hard versions. They’ll soften in your kitchen, but they won’t develop any more flavor. The key here is smell, especially with peaches. Choose fragrant, deeply colored (not green) fruits that are firm but slightly soft to the touch. If you can find a plump peach, make sure it’s as blemish-free as possible. Don't be fooled by a peach with a lot of red color. It doesn't necessarily mean it's ripe, it just may mean it's a variety with a lot of red color. Look at the fruit's background color. It should be a creamy yellow with no green.

The trick to properly storing fresh stone fruit (peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots) is to make sure they don't get too cold before they're fully ripened. That's because preemptively exposing these fruit to cold is what causes graininess. Peaches and nectarines tend to become mealy or break down in prolonged cold storage, and this is part of the reason they're more seasonal. You just can't keep peaches and pears in cold storage for a long period of time without sacrificing quality. So if you get a mealy peach or nectarine from the supermarket, the reason is probably because it was stored at too low of a temperature, below about 45°F. That's why, as a general rule, you shouldn't store nectarines or peaches in the fridge until they are fully ripe.

There are certain peach cultivars that are more susceptible to mealiness. These cultivars tend to be the late-season cultivars.

Peaches are in season from June to September.

How to use mealy peaches:

• Smoothies
• Milkshake

Pears

Some fruits, such as pears, keep ripening after they’re picked. So when it comes to choosing one, only pick a particularly ripe pear if you’re planning on eating it right away. A pear’s stem end is its best indicator of ripeness; if it gives under slight pressure, you’re good to go. If you notice softness anywhere else, the pear is already past its peak. Choose fruits that are free of bruises. Ripen them at room temperature; placing them in a paper bag speeds up the process.

Pears are in season from August to May.

Persimmons

Choose fruits that are deep orange or red in color. Fuyu types should be firm but not rock-hard. Hachiya types should be soft and squishy or kept at room temperature for a week or two until they soften. Dark spots caused by by sunburn are harmless unless the flesh is sunken or broken.

Pineapples

Pineapple is another fruit that’s picked when it’s as ripe as it’s going to get. Pineapple can be kept on the counter for up to three days after bringing it home. After that, it should be stored in the refrigerator. Again, smell is key. Choose fruits that smell sweet at the stem end, have fresh looking leaves, and are heavy for their size. Avoid fruits with soft spots or dry, brown leaves. A good pineapple will smell like one, and the skin should have a more yellow tint rather than pure green. Another good test: try to pull out the leaves at the top. If they come off easily, that’s a good sign it’s ripe.

Plums

Choose fruits that are deeply colored, shiny, and firm but not rock hard. A white or gray sheen is natural.

Pomegranates

To find your perfect pomegranate, start by looking for the right shape. While it might be pleasing to have a symmetrical fruit, pomegranates shouldn't be perfectly round. They should be slightly flattened with angular sides.

After you find a few pomegranates with the right shape, you should take a look at the skin. Contrary to what you may think, the color of a pomegranate doesn't matter. Their color ranges anywhere from dark to light red. Instead of thinking about the color, take a look at the skin. The most important thing is to get a pomegranate with smooth skin.

When you're satisfied with the shape and color of your pomegranate, you should put your muscles to the test and pick some up to see how heavy they are. The heavier the pomegranate, the juicier it is. If you want a pomegranate with full seeds, the heavier, the better.

The prime time to get pomegranates is in the fall starting in September. Unfortunately, pomegranates only stay in season for a few months until December.

To remove the aril from a pomegranate: Cut the pomegranate in half along its equator. Take one half in your hand, cut side down, over a bowl. Use a wooden spoon and beat the rind. All the arils fall out through your fingers, but the pith stays put.

Quinces

Choose fruits that are firm and golden in color.

Strawberries

Fruits and vegetables taste freshest when they’re bought in season. Strawberries don’t ripen once they’re picked, so if they don’t look ripe, they never will be. Choose berries that are fragrant, uniformly red (not yellow or green), and shiny with fresh green tops still attached. Also check the bottom of the basket to make sure there aren’t any crushed or spoiled berries. Keep the berries cold and dry – if you wash them before storing, they are likely to turn mouldy quite quickly!

The peak months for strawberries are between June and August.

Watermelon

These summer favorites are in season May through August.

How to Pick a Good Watermelon

• Look for the field spot. A ripe watermelon will have a patch, creamy yellow in color, where the melon rested on the ground. If a watermelon has a white patch—or none at all—it hasn’t fully matured.
• It should be heavy for its size. The sweetest one will be particularly heavy for its size, since heft is a sign that the melon contains a lot of water. As they ripen, melons (and a lot of other fruits) accumulate water as they develop sugars and other aromatics, so a heavy specimen was likely ripened on the plant—which means lots of flavor. If a melon feels light, the flesh may be dried out and mealy.
• Knock, knock! Watermelon whisperers claim to “hear” freshness from the sound of a firm tap on the fruit. A high-pitched thump (hollow sound) indicates more water content and a fresher specimen.
• Withered stems, while equally unattractive, also point toward ripeness.

How to Cut a Watermelon

A watermelon doesn’t ripen further once it’s harvested, so it’s best consumed immediately after purchase. Whole watermelons will keep in the fridge for about a week with no negative consequences for the texture or flavor, while cut pieces are best eaten within three days. When serving watermelon as part of a buffet or outdoors, always keep the bowl of cut pieces on ice for a cold and refreshing treat.

Cutting Cubes

Start by cutting the watermelon in half crosswise with a chef’s knife or long serrated knife. (With a melon that's wider than your knife blade is long, you may need to make several cuts from each side until you can split it fully in half.) Place each melon half on the cutting board with the cut side down. Using a chef’s knife, slice off the rind, leaving no white flesh behind. Once the rind is removed, the watermelon can be cut into small or large cubes, sticks, bâtonnets, or even a julienne for all your snacking needs.

Cutting Wedges, rind left on for eating out of hand

To cut a watermelon into wedges, start by cutting off the ends and slicing it in half lengthwise, then place each half on a cutting board with the cut side down. Split the watermelon again in half lengthwise, and cut crosswise to your desired width.