How to pick the best apple at the market

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How to pick the best apple at the market

Grocery shopping wasn’t always something that I liked.  Grocery runs weren’t a regular occurrence for me until I grew up and got married. I got a job at a restaurant and my love for food was blossomed.  I started going to markets and browsing the aisles for hidden gems.  Although, sometimes those gems are hard to find, even in fresh produce.  Have you ever struggled to pick the best fruit or vegetable?  Never again!  Here is how to pick the best apple at the market!

How to pick the best apple at the market: What to look for

What do I look for when choosing this fruits and vegetables? How do I know when a certain fruit is ripe? These were the questions running through my head as I was browsing through the store.

I remember when I was a kid, going to the store with my dad.  We would go to the produce section looking for the best melon.  Watermelons or cantaloupes, it didn’t matter.  My dad always could tell which one was the sweetest.  He would thump them and instantly know.

Learned Skill

Learning how to select perfect apples, other fruits and vegetables was a part of my job at the restaurant.  We have to learn these types of skills from others and of course, trial and error. I’m still learning today, but feel much more confident about what to look for when selecting each item in the produce department. In this post, I thought I would share 5 quick tips for how to pick the best apple at the market. Follow these tips and you should end up with a crisp, juicy, and flavorful apple every time you shop!

5 quick tips for how to pick the best apple at the market:

1. Check the apple’s firmness: Pick up the apple and gently press a small area of the fruit’s skin. It should be firm to the touch. Avoid apples that are noticeably soft, discolored, or indent easily after you press the skin.

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2. Visually examine the apple: As you check firmness, turn the apple completely in your hand to visually check for quality. Some marking on the fruit (like a scuff or specks) comes from nature and doesn’t signal a bad apple. However, apples with bruising or obvious signs of decay aren’t going to provide the best eating experience and should be avoided.

3. Get to know your apple varieties: With so many apple varieties available today (and more coming out all the time), you’ll want to get to know the characteristics of your favorites, including their color, size, shape, and overall appearance. You’ll quickly learn which apples are best for baking (Golden Delicious apples, Rome apples) and which are better for fresh eating (Red Delicious apples, Honeycrisp apples). There are also versatile apples that are great no matter how you plan to enjoy them (like Piñata apples, Pink Lady apples, and Fuji apples). Selecting an apple that best fits how you’ll use them at home is essential in having a great apple eating experience!

4. Glance at the color of the apple: Although color is not the best indicator of a great eating apple, it can be helpful when selecting this fruit. For red varietal apples, look for the green background to be covered mostly by red or pink-orange hues. Apples with full color have absorbed lots of sunlight which leads to great flavors.

5. Give your apple a sniff:  A fresh, high-quality apple should have a pleasant aroma. This will vary by variety with some apples (like Gala) having a stronger fragrance than others.

Buying fruits and vegetables at your local market doesn’t have to be difficult if you know what to look for.  It can actually be quite fun once you have the hang of it.  There is another way to make sure you have the freshest produce in your area – buy from local farmers and growers.

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Also, check out our recipes: Slow Cooker Apple Cider or Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars!

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How to pick the best apple at the market, best apple, Backyard Eden, www.backyard-eden.com, www.backyard-eden.com/how-to-pick-the-best-apple-at-the-market

Hi, I’m John.

John grew up on a farm where his family raised chickens, goats, rabbits, and grew a huge garden. John has a family of his own and gardens to know where his food comes from. Learn more..

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