Oregon Fall 2019

This time of year, fruit choices thin out a bit, farmer’s markets close down for winter and you’re stuck with whatever the stores have on hand.

So it’s all the more important that whatever you take home is the best quality, right?

Here’s a primer on picking fruit – particularly apples and oranges – what to look for and what to leave behind, all data stolen shamelessly from More Reputable Publications than this one and from my local produce guy.

Apples: There is only one harvest season for apples in the northwest, and that’s August-October. In the produce department in April and May are apples that were harvested during that time, so don’t be thinking they’re fresh from the tree. But because apples have a long shelf life, and continue to live off their starch content for a long time after harvesting, there’s no reason they can’t be excellent.

Honeycrisp: If you’re going to pay up to $2.99 per pound, these babies better be spectacular. How to be sure? Make sure you choose apples with all three colors: green, yellow and red. If the green is gone and it’s overly dominated by yellow, it’s over-ripe. Done, Finito, stick a fork in it.

Fuji: The sweeter Fuji apples have the yellow background with red streaking.  Those with the green background with red streaking are more tart.  In general, the more vibrant the red, the higher the sugar content. So, choose accordingly.

Granny Smith: Known to be both tart and crisp, they can also be mushy if over-ripe and over-tart if under-ripe. Choose a firm apple and then, if a sweeter taste is preferred, leave it on the counter for a few days and it will sweeten.

Pink Lady: Look for strong pink/red color, firm skin.

Red Delicious: According to Produce Experts, there is no such thing as a good Red Delicious apple. They will go so far as to say that they are a fraud perpetrated on the people. The media apparently agree. A sampling of headlines: “The Long Monstrous Reign of the Red Delicious Apple is Over” (New York Times), “The Red Delicious is an Apple Atrocity, a Joyless Snack, a Crime Against the Apple…It has no business in the mouth” (The New Food Economy”. They suggest limiting their use to fall wreath-making.

Avoiding mealy apples: Feel the weight of the apple. If it seems heavy for its size, it’s good. If it feels light, the cells have already emptied of moisture – mealy! Over time, my produce expert says, you’ll get a feel for heavy and light.

Squeeze the apple gently, if there’s “give”, it’s mealy. If juice begins trickling down your arm, you have squeezed too hard and should leave the area immediately before the produce police git you.

Best storage: A high humidity crisper drawer – you can even add humidity using a wet paper towel in the bottom of the drawer. A carboard box in your basement is a good place, each apple wrapped in newspaper. At room temperature, the fruit will continue to ripen.

Oranges: Like apples, the weight of the fruit is the thing. The lighter the fruit, the older and drier it is. Look for oranges that are heavy for their size – means they’re juicy! Also, look for a smooth, thin skin that is firm. Don’t judge by color since some oranges are dyed and Valencias can be green-tinged and still be fully ripe.

Navel oranges are best from mid-winter to early spring and Blood Oranges are at their peak from early winter until early spring. Valencias are late-spring, mid-summer harvests.

Unlike apples, oranges do not continue to ripen on the counter, so it makes the best sense to buy fully-ripened fruit. They will keep a week or so on the counter. Beyond that, the high humidity crisper drawer is your best bet.