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  1. #1
    Pinball Wizard
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    The Ultimate Summer Fruit Guide

    Strawberries

    When you taste a ripe early-summer strawberry, it’s like discovering a whole new species of berry. Strawberries come in many sizes; you can find long-stemmed berries for dipping or small ones perfect for eating whole. Fraise des bois are miniature, wild, woodland strawberries, less than an inch long, and are extraordinarily sugary and floral. Ripe strawberries have a uniform deep red color. White or green tops indicate unripe fruit (strawberries don’t ripen once picked). Look for plump berries with fresh, green leafy caps. Avoid baskets with moldy soft berries, or red stains (a sign of squished fruit). If your fruit is very delicate, spread it out on a plate and keep covered with a paper towel or plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.


    Blueberries


    These gorgeous little berries are on many folks’ radar these days — not only do they taste great; they are really good for you. Rich in healthy antioxidants, they are embraced as a “super food”; by conscious eaters. These American natives, which look like small marbles with a mini crown, are in season from mid summer through early fall. Dried blueberries are available year round, have a concentrated flavor and are a great portable snack. Look for plump uniform berries. Avoid baskets with green or wizened berries, or blue stains (a sign of squished fruit). A shiny white bloom on the berries is completely normal and actually a sign of freshness. Blueberries don’t have much of an aroma, so a taste test is a good idea to confirm full flavor. Refrigerate berries in covered containers; the open containers they are often sold in aren’t always ideal for storing. Wash berries with cool water in a colander just before using.

    caps. Avoid baskets with moldy soft berries, or red stains (a sign of squished fruit). If your fruit is very delicate, spread it out on a plate and keep covered with a paper towel or plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

    Cherries

    These cheerful oh-so-summery fruits fall into three categories — sweet, sour or middling sweet-and-sour. Common sweet varieties are the deep burgundy Bing or two-toned Rainier and are naturals for eating fresh out of hand. Pitted cherries can be tossed in fruit salads, flambéed with rum or brandy, or baked in cobblers, custards, and of course pies. The dusky red sour cherry has a short season (up to four weeks in good years) around mid-July. Raw, their complex tart flavor is an acquired taste, but cooked they are perfect for pies and preserves. Varieties like Montmorency and meteor bridge the sweet-tart gap. If unsure which camp a cherry falls into, snag a taste before buying. Buy cherries that look plump, are free of cracking, splitting or blemishes, and choose those with supple green stems, if you can. All red varieties should have a deep uniform color. Fresh cherries should be refrigerated and eaten within a couple days of purchase.

    Peaches

    The perfect summer peach embodies everything good about eating local foods in season. When you get really, really great peaches, their fleshy, juicy sweetness is nearly impossible to resist. Luckily, it’s now getting even easier to find different varieties such as yellow, white-fleshed, or donut-shaped ones. Select peaches free of bruises or marks that give to gentle pressure in the palm of your hand. Those that are just shy of ripeness can be left on the counter in a paper bag to ripen for a day or two. Avoid any that have a green under-color on their blushing skins, as well as those that are rock-hard; they’ll never ripen properly. Store ripe fruit in the crisper in the refrigerator.

    Blackberries

    A good blackberry, which looks like a plump cluster of inky bubbles, is sweet with a pleasant pucker. This family of berries encompasses over 100 varieties, such as marionberries, loganberries, boysenberries, and olallieberries. Blackberries run the gamut from pinky-sized minis to thumb-sized fat ones. Eat berries at their peak — July and August — for best flavor. Look for berries which are dark, plump, free of mold or damage. Avoid those that have either the stem caps or a reddish cast — signs they were picked too early. Check cartons’ sides and bottoms for juice stains, a sign of poor handling. As with all berries, try to use within a day of purchase (or picking). Refrigerate berries in covered containers and wash with cool water in a colander just before using. If you have a bumper crop, freeze them: Spread berries out on a paper towel-lined pan, freeze until firm, then transfer to sealed plastic bags and store for up to six months. Thawed berries are perfect for sauces, smoothies and in baked recipes.

    Summer Melons

    Summer melons, lush and sweet, are a real pleasure after months of uninspiring, out-of-season fruit. (There are actually two melon seasons, summer and winter.) Summer varieties include the well-known American cantaloupe, esteemed Charentais and Cavillion, and juicy, almost spicy, muskmelons. Winter varieties include honeydew, Casaba, and the aptly named Christmas melon. When buying melons, compare the weight of a few and choose the heavier one, it will be juicier. All ripe summer melons should be firm but not hard, and have a nice floral smell. Avoid melons with cracks, soft spots, and moldy stems. Knock on the melon like you would on a door; if it sounds deep and thick, it’s ripe. Melons do not ripen or become sweeter once they are picked. Store whole melons at room temperature for 2 to 4 days, wrap well and refrigerate after cutting.

  2. #2
    Pinball Wizard
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    Nectarines

    Like an understudy anxiously waiting in the wings, nectarines are eternally standing in for the celebrated peach. Yes, the nectarine is a peachy double, with all the same genetic makeup — except for a single gene for fuzzy skin. But a good nectarine — aromatic, luscious, and rich, with sweet-tart nectar — deserves respect in its own right. Perfect for summer eating, they are great grilled, in pies, tarts, cobblers or other rustic desserts. Nectarines are excellent eaten out of hand, or raw in savory salsas and salads. They can be used in any recipe that calls for plums, apricots or peaches. Choose nectarines with a full aroma and that yield to slight pressure when squeezed along their crease. Those that are just shy of ripeness can be left on the counter in a paper bag to ripen for a day or two. Store ripe fruit in the crisper in the refrigerator.

    Pluots


    Pluots represent a growing category of hybrid fruits that take the best of two species to produce a unique fruit. In this case, breeders take the smooth skin, shape and texture of plums and mix it up with the fragrance and flavor of apricots to get a sweet and juicy pluot. With a bit more apricot than plum, you’ve got an aprium; with an even mix of the two fruits you have a plucot. More than just a name game, these interspecific fruits are an improvement on the original and are addictively sweet and juicy. Pluots can be eaten and cooked like plums and apricots. They are great grilled, in salads, poached or eaten out of hand. Choose pluots with a full aroma that yield to slight pressure when squeezed along their seam. Those that are just shy of ripeness can be left on the counter in a paper bag to ripen for a day or two. Store ripe fruit in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

    Raspberries


    Like little baubles, raspberries add finesse and elegance to the simplest of dishes. Whether nibbled au natural or enjoyed with a dollop of cream and hot fudge sauce, ripe summer raspberries are always a pleasure. Raspberries should be firm, without bruises or mold. Check cartons’ sides and bottoms for juice stains, a sign of poor handling. Ideally, raspberries should be eaten directly after picking and not be chilled. Chilling is a must, however, for shipping and storing, otherwise they heat up and soften or mold in a matter of hours. If you can’t eat immediately, refrigerate raspberries in covered containers – the open containers they’re often sold in aren’t ideal for storing. Wash with cool water in a colander just before using. To freeze, spread the fruit out on a paper towel lined pan and freeze until firm, then transfer to sealed plastic bags and store for up to 6 months. Thawed berries are wonderful, but aren’t a substitute for fresh; use them for sauces, smoothies, or in baking.

  3. #3
    Super Moderator at Work Marley's Avatar
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    had them all but pluots so far this yr eat a lot of fruit my peach plum nectarine tree has it all on on tree one fruit but all favors

  4. #4
    Pinball Wizard
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    I could used a good Peach pie with ice cream right about now. Best Peach pie i ever ate was in an Amish Restaurant in Ohio!!

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    SPACE ACE Capt.Kangaroo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Laser915 View Post
    I could used a good Peach pie with ice cream right about now. Best Peach pie i ever ate was in an Amish Restaurant in Ohio!!
    Man, my mom just made a peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream on top...Great Stuff..
    I gather darkness to please me...

  6. #6
    Pinball Wizard
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    Just the thought of melting ice cream on a golden crisp crust with peaches so sweet and ripe that they melt in your mouth!!!So good!!

 

 

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