So this week, we’re hanging out with my friend Michael and learning all about Apples, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Lemons and Oranges.
What’s there to know? I thought…. “not much” (myself). Well, think again!
I mean, wouldn’t it be great if we could actually know how to pick a good, sweet, melon for example. But better than that, to understand what to look for and why? And when a fruit looks a certain way, grab it! Or run in the opposite direction? And when? And why? lol
Well, Michael has a wealth of knowledge. And I am going to continue picking his brain as we make our way thru Sprouts again this weekend!
Ok. Here’s the fruits and here’s what you need to know:
Apples
You want to notice the ‘end’ of the apple. If it’s firm, it’s a good apple. Mushy? Bad. You see an apple that looks a little warped? You think: “No big deal”. Well, it is a big deal, my friend! They fertilized with too little Zinc… and what that means to you is: NO FLAVOR!
How about apples with ‘heavy lobes’? (Bumps at the end of an apple). You didn’t know they were called ‘lobes’ did ya? No worries (neither did I). Heavy lobes means a much better apple too.
And what if it’s rougher, almost leathery to the touch? Too much copper. And guess what? Bitter.
When an apple is dull in color, it means the iron level was ‘up’ in the fertilizer. When you see an apple has almost no lobing on the end and is dull, what that means is it was grown using manure instead of Potassium.
And if it’s slippery looking? Unless it was ‘polished’, it’s green.
Longer, thinner? Crisper. Fatter, shorter? Tarter. Smell for sweetness.
The nose ‘knows.
Hey… hey … hey… what’s this ‘white’ stuff? Has that apple been snorting coke?
Heeheheee….. nah. But what you need to know is: IT’S BEEN POLISHED! That’s your ‘tale tell’ sign. And who, tell me WHO wants a polished apple? I mean they’re using all kinds of chemicals to do that, no?
As with some of the other fruits, if it’s not symmetrical and soft when you press the end … that means it’s not pollinated… and Michael says about buying that one: “Don’t bother”. I mean pollination is pretty important.
The wind, the bees, all helping mother nature pollinate, transferring the male to the female, and so forth.
And what about these dots on the apple?
Ever wonder what that’s all about? They are breathing spots…. and good air, and good sunlight makes for GOOD apples!
Lately, I’ve been buying 2 or 3 and putting them into the fridge. And when I go a lookin’ that’s what I find.
Hey! You’ve gotta have some kind of game plan! And in the worse case scenario, you can always cook ’em up on the stove, with cinnamon and nutmeg and YUM! Crumbled Graham Cracker on the bottom and you’ve got dessert!
Watermelon
The uglier the fruit, the better the flavor. Think about it.
Heirloom tomatoes?
Need I say more?
And the picture of the rind with all the scaring is high in iron. Now, if you eat the entire watermelon… yeeessss… it could be hard on your liver. But a piece is good for ya! And tastes great. Beauty’s only skin deep, yeah… yeah… yeah. (Sing it with me) Beauty’s only skin deep… ooooohhhh yeah!
And how about when there is a ‘natural’ slopping?
That means it didn’t pollinate right.
And they grew it with bad Zinc Levels.
When you find anything shorter…. it means they Boron was too low.
And look for symmetry again. Fruit grown right, with the right levels of Magnesium and Zinc (among others)….. just taste better.
Really! Michael is ‘da man’ and he knows! Can you imagine having your family in this business for decades? And just knowing? Cool beans.
Look at the center of this cantaloupe. What does that tell you? Tells me nothin’ but Michael says “they yanked if off and didn’t let it fully ripen”. Good to know! And “the bigger the diameter, the better the melon. And the other end? The ‘blossom’ end? You want that firm.
One more thing about cantaloupe…. if they’re wet to the ‘feel’, move on to the next two or three that may be dry. Frozen coming out of a defrost? Or just sprayed? Who knows.
Lemons
Ya know….. a bunch of years back they didn’t let any Meyers Lemon Trees ship from California into Arizona. Some kind of Boycott…. So now there are less Meyer Lemons around. And aren’t they the best!
As in most fruits, the deeper the color, the better the flavor.
And if your lemon is textured to the ‘feel’, that means they used more Magnesium and Iron… so that’s a better flavor too.
Don’t be afraid to press the end… cause if it’s soft, it’s going to taste ‘pithy’ (I like that word, don’t you)? and DRY and flavorless.
Oranges
The Navel Oranges look big, Michael says, “because of phosphates. And if it’s less developed…. it’s going to be short and squat…
Want more developed? Wide and protruding” just like in the picture. That’s what you’re really looking for!
Taller is better. That’s just how it is in both the fruit and veggie world. And speaking of vegetables….
Up next week on Part Deux: Onions, Tomatoes, Red Peppers, Butternut Squash, Onions.
Happy Eating,
Chef Marian