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09-09-2020 04:41 PM
From The Brighter Side, a great explanation of how to chose a variety of fruits and vegetables.
I'll wager there's one you don't know! Which one was it?
09-09-2020 04:51 PM
They have NO idea what they are talking about.
1. You don't want tomatoes that were picked ripe if you get them are n the store. They would be mush. Tomatoes on the vine are fine. If a tomato is soft it is over ripe.
2. Watermelon color (except for the white/green spot on the bottom) is not an indication of ripeness. A brown stem only means it has been pulled a LONG time too long. Size has little to do with how ripe a melon is. They come in all sizes.
You cannot tell by color if nitrates have been used as fertilizer. No way. No how.
09-10-2020 07:01 AM
09-10-2020 10:07 AM - edited 09-10-2020 10:09 AM
@ECBG I forgot to thank you and agree that a lot of it was interesting. But some of it was not really accurate. . . having grown up around farming and melons.
And as a very old person, I can tell you that a dried to a frazzle stem means that melon came out of the patch a LONG time ago! Maybe I'll start saying I came out of the patch a long time back instead of "I'm OLD!"
And while "old" can still be good, in melons or people, old IS old and one might have seen better days!
09-10-2020 11:40 AM
TY, the information about the peppers was some I had never heard --male & female --who knew ?
For most items I find smell is the best indicator. Not easy lately in the grocery with masks ! Except watermelons and avocados. I find those items a real c_ _ p shoot. A prayer to the produce gods , purchase , then see the results when I operate on them at home.
With tomatoes a yarden grown one or sometimes farmers market are the only ones that taste.
09-10-2020 12:05 PM
@okaywitheasypay @Sooner I had never heard of the pepper difference either!
09-10-2020 12:26 PM - edited 09-10-2020 12:27 PM
@ECBG @okaywitheasypay @Sooner
I also didn't know about the peppers and I tend to buy the orange or red ones when eating raw - some are always sweeter - so now I look for the 4 bumps? See, I forgot already
I can choose a ripe watermelon with the melon on one palm and patting it with the other hand but if it has been knocked about and bruised - bummer when I slice it open
with any fruit - I always check for heavy for its size - but sweetness is a whole other story - guess it is really in its genetic makeup so to speak -
just bc it is ripe doesnt mean it is gonna taste good or have the taste it should have
so many fruits don't taste like anything - if that makes any sense
09-10-2020 12:30 PM
@Yahooey wrote:@ECBG @okaywitheasypay @Sooner
I also didn't know about the peppers and I tend to buy the orange or red ones when eating raw - some are always sweeter - so now I look for the 4 bumps? See, I forgot already
I can choose a ripe watermelon with the melon on one palm and patting it with the other hand but if it has been knocked about and bruised - bummer when I slice it open
with any fruit - I always check for heavy for its size - but sweetness is a whole other story - guess it is really in its genetic makeup so to speak -
just bc it is ripe doesnt mean it is gonna taste good or have the taste it should have
so many fruits don't taste like anything - if that makes any sense
@Yahooey Sweet fruit comes from warm temperatures and locations usually. This area gets a perfect 4 seasons. We have so many apples, we had a Gerber baby food plant here for decades. We also have apple festivals.
09-10-2020 12:39 PM
when I was a kid - all I know and saw wer Red Delicious
we went apple picking when I was an older teen -
I believe all we looked to pick were Red Delicious
Then I became familiar with Gala and Fuji - which I liked
making apple pies with granny smith - although too sour for me to eat alone
Learned about Honey Criisp on the forums and I like them - why so much more costly
only thing is - I HATE mealy apples - how to avoid those?????
09-10-2020 12:43 PM
@Yahooey From a food scientist:
Mealy apples are disappointing. To prevent mealiness, one needs to prevent excessive ripening. Apple skins are good moisture barriers, so placing the apples in an air tight container won't stop or reverse mealiness, it may make it worse.
Mealiness starts in the apple when the fruit cells lose adhesion (with each other), this slowly happens as the cell walls degrade during ripening. This is not a reversible process. In order to fight mealiness, choose and store apples wisely.
Varieties
Early varieties like Spartans and Macintosh form quickly and are generally less dense that later varieties such as Delicious and Fuji. Dense apples have better cell adhesion and go mealy less quickly. All apples are enjoyable raw in the fall, but once winter sets in, the early varieties tend to go mealy, making them great for cooking. As for eating raw, stick to late varieties after December as their density allows for longer retention of crispness. Without any prior research, density should be able to be perceived by looking for heavy feeling apples. I find the 'baby' Delicious sold in 5lb bags to be crispy well into the spring and summer.
Packaging
After December I only buy apples in plastic bags. These bags are specifically designed to slow ripening and maintain the quality of their contents. Inside of the 'Modified Atmosphere' of the bag, CO2 concentrations are high and O2 concentrations are low. These atmospheric conditions slow both microbial spoilage and ripening enzyme activity. These bags also limit moisture loss from the apples. The con: you must be willing to commit to 5lb of apples.
Storage
To prevent mealiness, store apples in the fridge. Low temperatures slow the ripening process. Apples are ripe in the fall, they don't mind the cold.
Remember, mealy apples are perfect for cooking.
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