How to pick the perfect piece of fruit

To experience fruits at their best, choose the ripest ones for the tastiest treat. Here are some fruit-by-fruit tips for choosing the ripest and sweetest of nature's wonderful treats.

Apples: Go for firm, well-colored apples that feel crisp. Avoid those that have shriveled or bruised peel or those that give slightly when pressed.

Bananas: The peel of a fully ripe banana is yellow with brown and black flecks. You can buy green bananas and store them at room temperature to ripen. You can refrigerate ripe bananas. The peel will turn black, but the fruit still tastes good.

Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries: Look for firm, dry, smooth berries that are plump and full of color. Soft fruit means the berries are overripe; wrinkled fruit means they've been stored too long. Cover the container lightly and store in the refrigerator unwashed. Wash just before serving.

Cantaloupe: Ripe cantaloupes will have a cantaloupe smell, a yellowish cast to the rind and thick, corky netting that stands out from the skin. A ripe melon will yield slightly when pressed at the end opposite the stem. Don't buy a cantaloupe with a shriveled stem or soft spots.

Cherries: Look for glossy, plump fruit with flexible stems. Avoid hard, shriveled or blemished fruit or cherries that are mushy or sticky. Store in the refrigerator unwashed. Wash just before serving.

Grapefruit: The fruit should be firm and heavy for its size. Look for a grapefruit with smooth, thin peel, which will yield more juice. Avoid any fruit with rough or wrinkled peel.

Grapes: The bunches should have green, pliable stems with the grapes firmly attached. Avoid grapes with dry, brown stems or soft or wrinkled fruit. Store in the refrigerator unwashed. Wash just before serving.

Lemons and limes: Look for fruit that's heavy for its size and has a thin, glossy peel. To release more juice, apply slight pressure to the fruit while rolling it on a countertop. If you plan to use the peel in cooking or baking, buy organic fruit.

Oranges: Choose oranges that are heavy for their size and have smooth, bright-looking peel. Avoid any fruit with dull, rough, thick peel or those that feel dry or spongy.

Pears: Go for pears that are firm and just beginning to soften. You can ripen hard pears at home in a paper bag at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator when ripe. Avoid fruit that has bruised skin or looks dull and shriveled.

Pineapple: Pick up the fruit and smell the bottom. If it doesn't have a pineapple fragrance, it's not ripe. Although pineapples will soften after they're picked, they won't ripen any more. The fruit should be heavy for its size with dark green crown leaves. Avoid any fruit with soft spots.

Stone fruits (apricots, peaches, plums): Choose plump fruit that yields slightly when pressed. If it doesn't have a fruit fragrance, don't buy it. Avoid hard fruit or fruit that is mushy or leaky. Stone fruits will get softer and juicier if stored in a paper bag, but not sweeter.

Watermelon: Choose a firm watermelon with a bright green, dull (not shiny) rind and a yellowish underside, which means that it was ripened on the ground. Forget about thumping it; sometimes an overly ripe melon sounds hollow.



Some general tips

--To speed ripening of soft fruits, store them in a paper bag with an apple. The apple gives off ethylene, a gas required for ripening.

-- Fruit that's grown, harvested and sold close to home will always taste better than fruit that's been shipped to your market from half a world away. Try to buy fruit that's in season in your area.

--Source: American Heart Association; www.webmd.com