Summertime Yum...

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How To Choose The Best Produce

Summertime is, perhaps, the best time of the year for fresh produce, but choosing the best produce in the bin can be a daunting task if you don't know what to look for. Here are a few tips to bring the color and flavor of the season to your table.

Melons
- Melons should feel heavy for their size.
- Pass on melons with cracks, scars or blemishes. Look for the spot on the skin where the melon sat in the field; it should be yellowish if the melon is ripe.
- Melons need to ripen on the vine and naturally fall off when they are ripe. Look at the stem end; if it was cut then it was picked too early.
- Store melons at room temperature until cutting, then move to the refrigerator.

Tomatoes
- Ripe tomatoes yield slightly to the touch, and should have a vibrant color.
- If the tomato does not have a strong, earthy aroma, it's not ripe.
- Tomatoes will ripen after picking. Place them on a counter or in a paper bag to hasten the process.
- Cold destroys a tomatoes' flavor; do not refrigerate.

Avocados
- Both the large Florida variety and the California Haas should feel heavy for their size.
- When ripe, both varieties yield to slight pressure. Very soft avocados can be used for guacamole or other dishes that don't require the fruit to hold its shape.
- Florida avocados are smooth, large and green with a yellow tint when ripe; smaller, pebbly-skinned Haas are dark purple, almost black.

Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots
- Trust your nose; if they have a sweet, fruity aroma, they are ripe.
- Avoid bruised or discolored fruit.
- Fruit should give to slight pressure.
- Buy fruit that's grown as close to where you live as possible. Though these fruits will get softer with time, they will not get sweeter after picking.
- Don't wash until ready to use.

Eggplants
- Avoid eggplants with cracks or obvious imperfections. Eggplants should be heavy for their size.
- Press the skin lightly. If the indentation springs back, the eggplant is ripe. If the pressure makes no indentation, the eggplant is under ripe, and if the indentation remains, the fruit is overripe.
- Store in a cool spot and use as soon as possible. Long refrigeration can make them bitter.