What You Should Do With Your Fruits

Ripen at Room Temperature

• Ripen peaches, plums, mangoes and pears in a paper bag at room temperature. This may take a few days. Once they feel like they give just a bit when you hold them in your palm, they are ripe enough. Store them in the refrigerator after they ripen so they will last longer.

Store at Room Temperature

• Always store bananas at room temperature. Both the taste and texture may change if you put them in the refrigerator. Store cantaloupe and other melons at room temperature as well; the texture becomes rubbery if stored in the refrigerator and they begin to lose their flavor. Cantaloupe will become overly ripe in just a few days if left at room temperature, so plan to eat it within just a few days of purchase. Store fruits away from strong smelling vegetables such as onions and garlic, which you should also store at room temperature.

Keep Cool but Not Refrigerated

• Store lemons and limes in a cool place, but don't refrigerator them. They easily absorb odors from other foods in the fridge, which can make them unappetizing. Keep them in a dry place or they will spoil quickly. You can keep other citrus fruits in the refrigerator if you prefer, though some people prefer to eat them at room temperature.

Store in Refrigerator

• Store berries of all kinds in the refrigerator. You can keep apples in the refrigerator if you prefer or you can store them in a cool, dark place. You can store pineapples in the refrigerator as well, though they will also keep well enough at room temperature. The Food Network suggests storing pineapples upside down for a few days because the bottom of the fruit has more sugar and storing them upside down distributes the sugar more evenly, making the fruit taste equally sweet all over.

Japanese Gift Box!

Many Ways to Eat a Nectarine

• You can cut it into fourths, remove the pit and place the pieces in a bowl and eat them with a spoon, or you can simply eat a nectarine like an apple. Just be sure to wash it first and keep plenty of napkins on hand for the sticky juice that escapes.
• Cut a nectarine into several pieces and place it in a bowl with a bit of cream or half-and-half. Sprinkle the nectarines with brown sugar if you like, but you may find that the nectarines need no added sweetener.
• Mix small slices of nectarine with yogurt or use them for a topping on frozen yogurt or ice cream.
• Make nectarine jam or jelly if you have a large number of nectarines. Nectarines won't keep long, so nectarine jam and jelly is a perfect way to preserve them
• Select some ripe nectarines and freeze them for winter. Nectarines are easy to freeze and will taste like summer in the middle of winter. Pack them in a syrup made of sugar and water and store them in plastic containers or zip-seal bags.
• Make a nectarine pie or cobbler. Your favorite peach pie or peach cobbler recipe will work beautifully with nectarines.

All About Honeydew Melons

1. Store the honeydew melon at room temperature for two to four days to allow it to ripen fully. 
2. After the melon ripens, you can continue to store it in the refrigerator for as many as five days.
3. Wash the surface of the melon thoroughly with warm soapy water to remove pesticides, bacteria, dirt and other residues that may be on the rind of the melon.
4. Cut the melon in half using a sharp knife. Scoop out the seeds and pulp in the center of the melon.
5. Continue preparing the melon by cutting it into cubes or wedges. You can serve thick wedges of the melon with the rind on, though the rind is not to be eaten. To make cubes, cut the melon into quarters, slice the fruit in a crisscross pattern and cut it from the rind. You can also use a melon baller to scoop out balls of melon.
6. Serve the honeydew melon. You can eat this sweet melon alone as a snack, side, dessert or breakfast dish. Honeydew melon also works well in a fruit salad with other melons such as cantaloupe and watermelon. A squeeze of lemon or lime juice will enhance the flavor of honeydew melon.Store leftover melon in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Cut melon will keep for about three days.

Dinosaur Brand Pluots

Want to know more about the Dinosaur Brand Pluots?

Check out this link: DINOSAUR BRAND

How to Make a Roasted Plum Sauce

Plum sauce makes a sweet and tangy addition to roasted meats. But unlike most recipes that use plum preserves or jam, this one begins with freshly roasted plums. Roasting the plums deepens their flavors by caramelizing their sugars. Whether served with pork, lamb, venison or beef, this roasted plum sauce just might become the star of the meal over the meat served. Freshly grated ginger and cloves add a refreshing spiciness to this bold condiment.

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Arrange the plums in a single layer with their cut surfaces facing up in a baking pan.
3. Sprinkle the plums with 2 tbsp. of brown sugar and place in the oven.Roast the plums for 15 to 20 minutes or until dark brown and caramelized.
4. Let the roasted plums cool for five minutes before pulling their skins off under running water.
5. Put the peeled roasted plums, remaining 6 tbsp. brown sugar, ginger, mustard powder, cloves, star anise, soy sauce, orange juice and cornstarch into the work bowl of a food processor.
6. Pulse the food processor several times until the mixture becomes smoothly pureed.
7. Transfer the roasted plum sauce mix to a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, whisking continually for 10 minutes until thickened and heated through.
8. Serve immediately with roasted meat.

Homemade Grape Juice!

• Clean the grapes. Remove the stems from your grapes. In the colander thoroughly wash your grapes in cold water and let them drain well. The amount of grapes you want to use is up to you, it all depends on how much you want to make. To fill a 1 gallon pitcher you will need 10 to 12 pounds of grapes.

• Mash the grapes. Put the grapes in a large bowl and mash them well with your potato masher.

• Cook the grapes. After you have removed the stems and thoroughly cleaned and mashed the grapes, put them into your large pot and add just enough water to cover the grapes. Heat on medium-high until it reaches a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remember to constantly stir so that no grapes stick to the bottom of your pot. You may now add a few tbs. of sugar if desired. The sugar is optional and can be added to desired taste.

• Strain. Empty your mixture into the cheesecloth and strain directly into your serving pitcher. Allow your product to cool for several hours in the refrigerator before serving. Enjoy!

When Is a Pluot Ripe?

Taste and Smell

• Ripe pluots taste like plums but are less acidic, thanks to their apricot parent. They also have a noticeable fragrance when ripened. Depending on the variety, the level of a pluot's sweetness can vary, but typically a ripe pluot has a high sugar content and therefore tastes significantly sweeter than a plum or an apricot.

Color and Size

• Pluots come in a range of colors depending on the variety and may be black, crimson, green, plum or yellow. Ripe pluots may have dappled or streaked skins that vary in color as well. The flesh also ranges from white or yellow to reddish pink. For example, when ripe, Candy Stripe pluots are medium-sized, and will have pinkish yellow striped skin which gives them the name. Cherry pluots are small with red skin and white flesh, while a Dapple Dandy is larger with pale greenish-yellow skin that is spotted, or dappled. The flesh of a Dapple Dandy is pink to red in color. Although you may find pluots from May through September, each variety has a relatively short season, so depending on the time of the year you might find more of one color than another. As long as the color is rich and vibrant, then the pluot is usually ready to eat.

Texture

• A firm, plump pluot is typically ripe enough to eat. When you press on the stem end, the fruit should give slightly. However, pluots are fragile when ripe, so don't press too hard when checking for ripeness or they will bruise. The flesh of a ripe pluot is also juicy and sweet, similar to that of a plum. If you bite into a pluot that is not soft and juicy, it is not ripe. If the texture of the pluot is mushy and soft when you pick it up, it may be too ripe.

Storage

• If you've purchased pluots that aren't quite ripe, store them in a paper bag at room temperature and check them daily. They'll ripen after a few days in the bag. Do not stack them in the bag or they may bruise. Ripe pluots are ready to eat and will keep for a few days if stored in the refrigerator.

How to Ripen Peaches, Nectarines and Plums

1) Place the peaches, plums or nectarines that you wish to ripen in a single layer in a paper bag. Add a ripe banana to the bag. Roll the top loosely and leave the bag on the counter. Check the fruit each day to see if it is ready.

2) Arrange larger quantities of fruit in a single layer in a shallow cardboard box so that none of the fruit is touching. Cover lightly with newspaper and place in a dark cupboard. Check the fruit daily.

3) Place the peaches, plums and nectarines on a linen or cotton cloth and drape another cloth over the fruit. Check daily until the fruit is soft. Some people think this method is the least likely to promote rotting, though it can take longer than the paper bag method.

Fact #6 Table Versus Wine Grapes

A grapes is classified as either a table or wine grape depending on their intended consumption.


Table grapes: 
- Large
- Crunchy
- Seedless
- Thin Skin
- Approximately 15-19% sugar by weight

Wine grapes:
- Small
- Soft
- Seeded
- Thicker 
- Approximately 24-27% sugar by weight

Fact #5 How to Ripen Papayas

Ripe papayas should be firm. A few black or moldy spots, as long as they are not holes or bruises, will not affect the fruit.

Leave the fruit outside of the refrigerator for a few days to ripen. You can place it in a paper bag to speed up the process. Refrigerate the papaya once it is ripe to keep it for longer.

Quick fact: The fruit has a rich source of fiber and aides digestion!

Fact #4 Learn About Persimmons

• Persimmons can be eaten raw, dried or cooked. 
• Raw persimmons can be eaten like an apple. They can be cut into slices or eaten whole. 
• Dried persimmons are often eaten as snacks. They can also but put in cakes, salads, cookies and used as cereal toppings. 
• In the Korean culture, Persimmons are used to make persimmon vinegar. 
• Persimmons can be ripened faster by placing them in a paper bag with an apple.

Fact #3 Blueberries and You

1. Blueberries are one of the only foods that are naturally truly blue.
2. Blueberries grow best in acidic soil.
3. Blueberries are low in fat and sodium.
4. Blueberries are the second most favorite fruit in America.
5. Blueberries exist in 50 different varieties.
6. Blueberries are rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin K
7. Blueberries are ranked No. 1 in antioxidant activity
8. Blueberries can last up to two weeks if refrigerated.
9. Freeze berries without washing to keep the skins from toughening.
10. Blueberries are frozen and canned so that they can be consumed year round.

Fact #2 All About Mangoes

How do you ripen a mango?

Put the mangoes in a paper bag with a few apples or bananas. Apples and bananas emit ethylene gas that speeds up the mango ripening process.

How can you tell if a mango is ripe?

Smell the end of the mango at the stem. You should smell a strong and sweet scent. If it smells strong, it is ripe.

Fact #1 How To Eat Mangosteen

1. If the Mangosteen has a soft outer shell, simply squeeze the fruit between your two hands until the shell splits. Peel away the shell and enjoy the fruit.

2. If the Mangosteen has a hard outer shell, use a knife to gently cut around the mangosteen (as if you were cutting around a center seed). The incision should be one centimeter deep. Gently twist the two halves in opposite directions and peel them apart.