The Washington Navel and the Valencia, both with a rich orange skin color, are leading varieties from California and Arizona. Available from November through early May, the Navel orange has a thicker, more pebbled skin than the Valencia. It has the advantages of its skin being more easily removed by hand and that the segments come apart more easily. The Navel is best for eating as a whole fruit or in segments in salads. The Western Valencia, well suited for either juicing or for slicing in salads, is available from late April to October.
Early October until late June are the months to market orange crops from Florida and Texas. Parson Brown and Hamlin are early varieties. The important, high quality for eating Pineapple orange is harvested from late November to March. Late March to June give us Florida and Texas Valencias, while the Florida Temple orange is available from early December until early March. The Florida Temple is somewhat like the California Navel in easiness of peeling and separating into segments, along with excellent flavor.
Look for firm and heavy oranges with reasonably smooth, bright looking skin. Avoid light-weight oranges, which are likely to be dried out in its interior. These oranges tend to have very little juice.
There are many varieties of Peaches but it takes an expert to tell one variety from another. Available from May to November, peaches fall into two general types: freestone (flesh easily separates from the pit) and clingstone (flesh clings tightly to the pit). Freestones are generally consumed fresh or for freezing. Clingstones are used primarily for canning.
Look for peaches that are rather firm or becoming a bit soft. The skin color between the red areas should be yellow or creamy. Avoid fruit that has distinct green ground color or that is very soft.
California, Washington, and Oregon produce great quantities of Pears. The Bartlett pear is the most popular variety for canning and for eating fresh. With use of cold storage, Bartletts are available from early August to November.
There are several other fall and winter varieties grown in Washington, Oregon, and California which are shipped to fresh fruit markets. Through the technology of cold storage, the varieties of Anjou, Bosc, Winter Nellis, and Comice are available from November to May.
Look for firm pears in all of the varieties. Pears will probably ripen at room temperature but it is a good idea to pick pears that have already begun to soften to get good ripening.
Pineapples can be found at the grocery year around but are most plentiful from March to June. The come primarily from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Many pineapples are already fully colored when seen at the grocery but if necessary, a mature green pineapple should normally turn yellow to orange within a few days at room temperature.
Look for pineapples with bright color, a pleasant pineapple aroma, and a very slight separation of the eyes or pips (the fruitlets patterned in a spiral on the fruit core). When mature, pineapples are generally dark green, firm, plump, and heavy for their size. When fully colored, pineapples should be golden yellow, orange -yellow, or reddish brown.
Plums and Prunes have very similar quality characteristics and buying tips. California produces a number of plum varieties from June to September. Only a few varieties of prunes are marketed. Prunes are purplish-black or bluish-black. The flesh is moderately firm and separates easily from the pit. Most commercial prunes are harvested in the Northwestern states and are available from August to October.
Look for plums and prunes with good color and are fairly firm to slightly soft.
Blackberries, Raspberries, Dewberries, Loganberries, and Youngberries may differ from one another in shape or color but they closely share quality factors. Look for a bright, clean appearance and uniform good color. The berries should be plump and tender. Avoid leaky and moldy berries.
The first shipments of Strawberries come from southern Florida, with crops increasing monthly. The best strawberry harvest is in May and June but lasts until the fall.
Look for strawberries with shiny red color, firm flesh, and the cap stem still attached. Small to medium berries have the best taste. Try to avoid berries with large uncolored areas or with large seedy areas.
Tangerines come primarily from Florida but California, Arizona, and Texas provide large crops. Available from late November to early March, tangerines peak in December and January.
Look for deep yellow or orange color with a bright luster. Tangerines will frequently not feel firm to the touch due to the typically loose nature of tangerine peel. Avoid tangerines with very soft spots, a sign of decay.
Terry Kaufman is Chief Editorial Writer for www.niftykitchen.com and www.niftyhomebar.com. See more Hints, Insights, and Unusual Facts about Food and Cooking, at www.niftykitchen.com/site/339522/page/65097. ©2006 Terry Kaufman. No reprints or any commercial usage without written permission.
Article Source: Choosing Fresh Fruit or Who Put the Worm in My Apple?