In the store it is important not only to buy fruits and berries at a reasonable price, but also to choose them correctly. Let’s determine the most important criteria to pay attention to.
So, what you should pay attention to in order to buy the most ripe, fragrant and tasty fruit.
Lifehacks by yagupov.su
Peaches and nectarines
Hold it close to your face and smell it. Choose peaches with bright skin. It should be red, orange, or pink. The flesh should be bright yellow, like sunflower petals. Lightly press the peach, it should be firm and not too soft.
Nectarines should have red skin with yellow speckles. It is better to eat these fruits stiff so that they crunch when you bite into them. Only eat the mashed ones when there are no others, or when you’ve forgotten about them and then found them somewhere in the far corner of the fridge.
Fruits with yellow flesh are more flavorful and those with white flesh are sweeter. White peaches and nectarines have less acid, so they will be sweet regardless of softness. Their flavor is subtle and floral, but not as intense as the yellow ones. Choose according to your taste.
Mango
Mangoes should be eaten ripe when the juice literally flows from it. The taste of such a fruit is sweet, a little tart, and the flavor is rich. The only disadvantage of mangoes is that it is difficult to peel. You will have to tinker with a knife, and also have a plate and napkins, so as not to leave stains of juice on everything around.
A ripe mango is firm, not too soft. If the skin is wrinkled, it is overripe or has begun to rot inside. It should be smooth, of uniform bright color, without spots. It is not terrible if there are small dark spots on it. This indicates that the fruit is ripe.
Pay attention to the smell. It should be sweet and resinous. Mangoes with a sour smell have already begun the fermentation process, you should not buy such fruits. If the fruit does not smell at all, it has been picked unripe. It will simply be tasteless.
Grapes
Look at the color of the berries. Ripe green grapes have a yellowish hue. Red grapes should be a rich wine color, with no green spots on the skin. And ripe purple grapes are very dark, almost black.
The ripe berries are firm and smooth, tightly attached to the stalks. If the stalks themselves are green and supple, the grapes are definitely fresh. Wrinkled or wet berries are a sign that the grapes have gone bad.
If the grapes have a whitish matte coating on them, it’s no big deal. This is a natural defense against rotting and moisture loss. Even if the plaque does not wash off completely, it is safe to eat such berries.
Plums
Plum of any color – red, yellow, purple – should not be too soft. The berry should spring when lightly pressed. Don’t buy shriveled or sloppy berries. But also avoid very hard berries. They won’t ripen even if you leave them in a dark place for a few days.
All berries should have a sweet, characteristic plum flavor. A grayish coating on plums, like grapes, protects the berries.
Figs
It should be soft, but not too soft. Don’t buy fruit if it looks shriveled or has cracks that leak juice. But very smooth, shiny skin is not an option either. Such fruits are not yet ripe.
Figs spoil very quickly and should not be stored for long. Eat them within one or two days after buying.
Watermelon
Watermelon flesh should be sweet and crisp, firm and not too watery. A ripe watermelon will make a muffled sound when tapped, and will crack when squeezed.
Look at the skin of the watermelon. It should be shiny, without cuts or cracks, with well-defined stripes. There may be a small yellow spot on the side. This is where the watermelon came into contact with the ground as it grew.
Cherry
Choose dark red berries. They will be the ripest. The berries themselves should be hard and shiny. The stems should be green and pliable. If they are withered and darkened, then the berries have been in the store for a long time.
Look at where the stalk is attached. If the skin is wrinkled there, the berries have been stored at room temperature for a long time. They may be sweet, but they are no longer fresh.
Tangerines
The first thing you look for in a tangerine is its smell. If it is deep and sweet, the fruit is definitely ripe. To check this, lightly rub the skin with your finger.
Ripe tangerines don’t have a skin that is too thick around the flesh. They are thin and easy to peel. It can also spring back when you squeeze it. Just don’t press down hard, tangerines crumple easily.
Check the fruit for weight. If they are heavy, it means they have a lot of juice in them. Don’t buy too soft tangerines with spots or dents. They have been lying around too long and are starting to spoil.
Oranges
Pay attention to the weight of the fruit. The heavier the orange, the riper and juicier it is. Look for hard oranges with smooth and thin skin.
You can’t always rely on color, though. Some varieties turn greenish after ripening. Dark spots on the peel do not mean that the fruit has gone bad. It’s just that the orange was grown in a hot, humid climate.
Bananas
If you are going to use them immediately, buy already ripe – yellow, with small brown spots. If you want to keep the fruit for a few days, choose greenish ones. These bananas will gradually ripen. Bright yellow ones with greenish ends are ideal for eating.
Do not buy darkened, too soft bananas. They have already begun to rot inside. And the gray color of the skin indicates that the fruit has been stored at the wrong temperature. They are unlikely to taste good.
Strawberries
The first thing you should notice is a rich, sweet flavor. Such strawberries will be ripe and delicious. If the berries have no smell at all, they will also taste empty.
Also pay attention to the color. Berries with white or green spots will no longer be ripe. A light red color is best. Too dark a color indicates that the strawberries are overripe.
The berries should be firm, without dents or damage. If they have been lying around for a long time and have become too soft, use them for baking or make a compote.
Raspberries
As with most other fruits and berries, pay attention to the flavor. A ripe, sweet raspberry has a rich flavor. Choose hard, dry berries without damage or mold. Different varieties of raspberries have different color intensity. The main thing is that it is uniform, without green spots.
Raspberries store very little. Try to use them within a few days of purchase. Or freeze them for future use. If the berries have become too soft, chop them in a blender or make jam.
Blueberries
Ripe blueberries are evenly colored, without redness. There may be a grayish patina on them. This is a natural protective layer.
Choose firm berries. Soft, watery blueberries have been lying around too long and have already lost their flavor. Like all sour berries, they do not last long, so it is better to eat them right away.
Pomegranate
Choose large fruits with a brightly colored skin. Hold a pomegranate in your hand: it should be heavy, which means it has lots of juice. The skin should be spotless, unscratched and free of any other blemishes. It should be smooth and wrinkle-free.
If the seeds are red but the skin is darkened on the inside, it’s okay. Such a pomegranate can be eaten. But if the seeds have turned brown and softened, it is better to throw them away.
The pomegranate can be peeled in several ways. For example, you can cut it in half and turn each half inside out. Now take out the precious kernels one at a time. Or drop them, along with the white peel, into a bowl of water. The peel will float out.