Guidelines to Selecting and Storing : Getting the Most Flavor and Best Eating Quality From Summer Fruits

For optimum eating quality, it’s important to know how to select and store summer fruits. Some are ready to be consumed immediately after purchase, others need further ripening. The following guidelines will assure you get the most from your purchases.

BARTLETT PEARS--Because this fruit does not ripen on the tree, Bartlett pears are harvested green, though mature. Before the pears reach the supermarket, they are held in cold storage to stimulate off-the-tree ripening.

Choose well-formed Bartletts free of cuts or bruises and complete the ripening by placing three or more pears in a loosely closed paper bag or ripening bowl left at room temperature for several days. Check the pears daily.

When Bartletts turn yellow, yield to gentle palm pressure and are fragrant, it’s time to move them into the refrigerator. Serve slightly chilled for best flavor and texture.

BLUEBERRIES--When purchasing, look for blueberries that are plump and firm, with a light, powdery, gray-blue color. The berries are highly perishable at room temperature, but will retain their peak flavor for up to two weeks when refrigerated. Be certain to keep them dry; moisture causes the berries to mold.

Wash blueberries immediately before using. If they are being added to baking recipes, dry on paper towels.

CANTALOUPE--There are three signs of fully mature cantaloupes. The stem should be gone, leaving a smooth, symmetrical, shallow basin. The netting, or veining, should be thick, coarse and corky and the skin color between the netting should be yellowish-buff, yellowish gray or pale yellow. Small bruises normally will not hurt the fruit, but avoid melons with large bruises or mold growth.

Ripeness is indicated by a yellowish cast to the rind, a pleasant aroma and the melon yielding slightly to light thumb pressure on the blossom end. If not ripe when purchased, hold cantaloupes a few days at room temperature. Once ripe, chill in the refrigerator and serve either chilled or at room temperature.

GRAPES--Look for grapes that are bright, plump and wrinkle-free, firmly attached to pliable green stems. Green grapes are sweetest when yellow-green; red varieties when all the fruit is predominantly red, and blue/black varieties when grapes have a full, rich color. Avoid grapes with bleached areas around the stem end.

To store for several days, just loosely wrap and refrigerate. Gently rinse grapes just before using and serve slightly chilled for the best flavor.

GREEN HONEYDEW MELON--The rind indicates maturity of this melon variety. A waxy, greenish, white rind usually means the melon is not fully ripe. Instead, it should have a tinge of creamy-yellow and the touch of velvet. The blossom end may yield slightly to pressure.

Ripen immature fruit at room temperature. Once ripened, keep cool, but for optimum flavor, serve at room temperature.

NECTARINES--When shopping for nectarines, select fruit with a creamy background color and no green at the stem end. Red color is not an indication of ripeness or flavor, it’s simply a varietal characteristic.

Place nectarines in a loosely closed paper bag or ripening bowl for a few days until they give to gentle palm pressure. At that point, refrigerate to prevent over-ripening, but return to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.

PEACHES--Select peaches with fresh creamy or golden under-color (again, spots of rosy color do not necessarily indicate ripeness as varieties’ blushes differ). Avoid peaches with wrinkles, brownish spots or traces of green on the skin.

Fresh peaches are picked mature but still firm and need to be ripened at home. Place several in a loosely closed paper bag or ripening bowl kept at room temperature. Check progress daily.

Peaches are ready to eat when they give to gentle palm pressure. Store ripened peaches in the refrigerator, but for best flavor, serve them at room temperature.

PLUMS--There are two types of plums: the Japanese, which are generally medium to large in size, have red or yellow skin and are very juicy; and the European, which are blue or purple, medium-sized, mild in flavor and firm textured.

Plums are picked mature, though firm, to survive shipping to market. After purchase, place them in a loosely closed paper bag or ripening bowl. Check daily because plums can become overripe within a day.

Fully ripe plums are of deep, uniform skin color and soft to the touch, particularly at the tip end. Store ripe plums in the refrigerator.

RASPBERRIES, BLACKBERRIES, BOYSENBERRIES AND SIMILAR BERRIES--These berries differ in shape and color, but quality factors are about the same for all. Look for bright clean appearance and a uniform good color for the species. The individual small cells making up the berry should be plump and tender.

Berries deteriorate quickly, so use as soon as possible after purchase. To store, arrange unwashed berries in a shallow pan lined with paper towels. Cover with more paper towels, then plastic wrap and refrigerate up to two days. Gently rinse with water just before using.

STRAWBERRIES--Since strawberries do not ripen after they are picked, choose berries that are plump and well rounded, with a natural shine, rich red color and bright green, fresh looking caps. Use as soon after purchase as possible to insure the best flavor and appearance.

To store, remove the strawberries from their container and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet or in a shallow container lined with paper towels. Kept under refrigeration, the berries should retain quality for several days.

Never wash strawberries or remove the caps until just before using. Washing destroys the natural protective outer layer and the caps protect the strawberries and help preserve flavor and texture.

SWEET CHERRIES--Choose cherries that are plump, glossy and bright in color. Avoid overly soft or shriveled fruit with dried stems. Soft, leaking flesh, brown discoloration and mold growth are indications of decay.

For maximum flavor and juiciness, cherries should be consumed soon after purchase. They will, however, stay fresh for several days if refrigerated, unwashed, in plastic bags. Spread out as much as possible to avoid crushing and bruising. Wash cherries just before serving.

WATERMELON--Several outward signs are a guide to the ripeness and quality of watermelons. However, none are totally reliable. Good quality melons are firm, symmetrical in shape and have a fresh appearance. Color may vary from deep, solid green to gray, depending on the variety.

Mature watermelons have a velvety bloom--a slightly dull rather than shiny surface. The underside should be yellowish in color or beginning to turn from white or pale green to light yellow. Thumping the melon is not recognized as a good indicator of quality.

Once purchased, store at room temperature or cut and refrigerate. Serve chilled.