How to Pick Fresh Fruit

Everyone has had the disappointment of biting into a nice looking piece of fruit only to find that it's past its prime or is lacking in flavor. There is an art to picking out the perfect piece of fruit. Here are some of the most important tips to bear in my when judging which pieces of fruit to buy at the market. Follow this guide to picking fresh fruit, and you shouldn't be disappointed with your selection again.

Cantaloupe

Melons are probably the toughest fruit to pick out correctly, hence all the tapping and sniffing by grocery shoppers at the market. The secret to picking out a good cantaloupe begins with the nose, so give it a whiff and see if the melon has distinct sweet smell of cantaloupe. The skin of a cantaloupe that isn't ready will be green just under the surface, while scoring a ripe cantaloupe will a golden hue. Pressing on the end of the melon should reveal that the end will sink in a little to pressure when the cantaloupe is ready.

Honeydew

Only buy honeydew melons when they are particularly fragrant. Give the honeydew a light whack with the palm of your hand and see if you can perceive the nice deep thump that is characteristic of a good honeydew. If you happen to like a nice, crisp honeydew, press on the bottom like you would for a cantaloupe. This time, if the area sinks then the melon is likely to be a little past its prime and will be a little too mushy for the perfect honeydew.

Watermelons

A great watermelon is symmetrical and oval in shape without any soft spots. The darker and heavier the watermelon, the better. Check for ripeness by scratch the melon with your fingernail. If the area beneath is greenish-white, you're good to go. Give the melon a little knock; a ripe watermelon will sound a little hollow. Remember, watermelons do not continue to ripen after they have been picked.

Peaches

The best peaches will have a very strong, sweet smell with a golden glow and some give when lightly pushed on the edge. They shouldn't be too firm. Don't choose peaches with green tinges or soft spots, instead keep your out for fruit with streaks of pink and yellow.

Sources:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddgqpbj9_217fgwt7vgj
http://www.ehow.com/how_2062861_pick-cantaloupe.html
http://www.expertvillage.com/video/26875_pick-produce-honey-dew.htm
http://www.ehow.com/video_2344867_how-pick-out-honey-dew.html
http://hubpages.com/hub/How_to_Pick_a_Good_Watermelon
http://www.joyofbaking.com/Peaches.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_109697_choose-peach.html