Fruits of the day

My kids loves fruits. From the ripeness of papayas to the everlasting sweet aroma of durian. I usually get my fruits from our local pasar malam-night market. But how can you get the most bang — nutritionally and economically — for your RM while eating all those recommended servings of fruits each day? Don't buy just because of low price. It seldom pays to buy perishable fruits merely because the price is low. Unless the lower price is a result of overabundance of the fruit at the time, the so-called bargain may be undesirable. Buy only what you need. Home refrigeration makes it possible to keep an adequate supply of most perishable fruits on hand, but never buy more than you can properly refrigerate and use without waste -- even if the product is cheaper in quantity. People said follow your nose when choosing fresh produce. It might work sometimes but hey what if you have runny nose that day? So here are some tips on how to choose the freshest fruits:

• Apples: Look for firmness and crispy, well-colored apples. Brown or tan "scald" marks don't affect taste, but soft bruises that are discolored indicate damage.

• Avocados: Available year-round, as they are grown in Florida and California. Choose slightly soft fruit, or if bought unripe, allow three to five days at room temperature to ripen. Refrigeration slows ripening.

• Bananas: Look for bananas which are firm, bright in appearance, and free from bruises or other injury. The state of ripeness is indicated by skin color. Best eaten when yellow with brown speckles. At this stage, the flesh is mellow and the flavor is fully developed. Bananas with green tips or with practically no yellow color have not developed their full flavor potential. Bananas get damaged below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, so never refrigerate.

• Blueberries: Look for uniform color and plumpness; avoid oozing berries.

• Grapefruit: This fruit is sold ready-to-eat; avoid fruit that is too soft (a sign of decay). Scratches and spots on the peel don't usually indicate that anything's wrong.

• Grapes: Select those with green, pliable stems that the grapes don't fall off of easily — a sign that the grapes themselves are fresh.

• Kiwi: Plump, unwrinkled fruit, either firm or slightly yielding. Kiwifruit is fully ripe when it is yielding to the touch but not soft. Firm kiwifruit can be ripened at home in a few days by leaving it at room temperature

• Melons: A stem that's still attached may indicate the fruit isn't ripe. With cantaloupe, avoid those with an overly yellow color and a soft skin, which indicates overripeness. Sniff for a sweet, pleasing smell. Most cantaloupes require two to four days to ripen at room temperature at home.

• Oranges: Should be heavy and firm, indicating juiciness and bright-looking skin which is reasonably smooth for the variety. Avoid light-weight oranges, which are likely to lack flesh content and juice. Very rough skin texture indicates abnormally thick skin and less flesh. Dull, dry skin and spongy texture indicate aging and deteriorated eating quality. Also avoid decay -- shown by cuts or skin punctures, soft spots on the surface, and discolored, weakened areas of skin around the stem end or

• Peaches: Very hard peaches are unlikely to ripen. Choose freestone varieties for eating.

• Pears: Should be firm but slightly soft. Their color depends on the type: Bartletts should be pale to rich yellow, while Boscs are brownish yellow. Shriveled pears will not ripen.

• Raspberries: Stains on the container may indicate mushy or moldy berries inside. Berries should not have their caps attached.

• Strawberries: Look for the cap stem still attached, and avoid fruit with white shoulders or large discolored patches.

• Watermelons: If you want to buy an uncut watermelon, here are a few appearance factors which may be helpful (though not totally reliable) in guiding you to a satisfactory selection. The watermelon surface should be relatively smooth; the rind should have a slight dullness (neither shiny nor dull); the ends of the melon should be filled out and rounded; and the underside, or "belly" of the melon should have a creamy color.

Last but not least the King of all fruits:

• Durian: will have to consult the expert on this for the tips..that is my dear hubby of course since he is what we call hantu durian