My Little ROCK – Reliable Organised Cooking Kitchen

Who doesn’t like fruit? Its beautiful, tasty and good for you!!! Below are some storage hints and general information on fruit.

Apples

• There are more than 7,000 varieties of apples in the world.
• Select apples with a good colour and a smooth skin.
• Keep refrigerated in a vented plastic bag.

Apricots

• You can use a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife to peel an apricot.
• Chose apricots that are plump, evenly coloured and fairly soft.
• Store apricots unwrapped in the crisper of the fridge.

Avocados

• To prevent an avocado from discolouring once cut brush the surface with lemon juice.
• To remove the stone cut the avocado in half and hold the half with the stone in one hand and tap it with a sharp knife with the other hand. While the knife is in the stone give it a gentle twist and it should remove easily.
• Store unwrapped in the refrigerator.
• Ready to eat when they feel slightly soft when gently squeezed.

Bananas

• Banana’s come in many colours from small red and yellow skinned to large black plantains.
• Green banana’s can be cooked and served in savoury dishes.
• You can boil, fry, curry, grill and bake a banana.
• Banana leaves can be used when wrapping and cooking food.
• Plantains are never eaten raw and always cooked.
• When choosing banana’s they should have bright yellow to golden skin and appear well rounded
• Keep banana’s unwrapped at room temperature.

Blackberries

• You can freeze blackberries.
• Don’t wash blackberries until you’re ready to use them.

Blueberries

• You can freeze blueberries.
• Pick berries that are firm and plump.
• Keep your blueberries covered in the fridge.

Cherries

• Cherries are closely related to plums.
• You can buy cherry pitters to remove the seeds of cherries.
• Buy cherries that are firm, bright and uniform in colour. The stems should be green.
• Store cherries in a vented plastic bag in the fridge.

Coconuts

• Used in savoury and sweet dishes.
• Shake your coconut and listen for the coconut water inside before you buy it. If you can’t hear the liquid its too old and will have a soapy taste.
• A good coconut is a heavy coconut!

Dragon Fruit

• Dragon fruit is also called Pitaya.
• Dragon fruit comes in red, pink and yellow.
• The dragon fruit skin should not be eaten.

Grapes

• Grapes make wine….I love wine!!!!
• Choose grapes with their stems attached that are smooth and plump.
• Keep your grapes in the fridge in a vented plastic bag.

Kiwi Fruit

• To prepare a kiwi fruit cut off the top and bottom and then remove the skin with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler.
• Pick Kiwi fruit that has a good shape and are light to medium brown in colour.
• Kiwi fruit should be stored in the crisper of the fridge.

Lemons

• Freeze lemon juice in ice cube containers then put into plastic bags.
• Choose lemons that are firm, heavy and good coloured.
• Keep lemons in the fridge uncovered.

Limes

• Pick limes that are firm and heavy for their size.
• Keep limes uncovered in the fridge crisper.

Mandarins

• Store mandarins in the fridge uncovered. This can extend their shelf life for up to two weeks.
• Select mandarins that are unblemished and heavy for their size.
• To prepare a mandarin remove the skin and separate into segments.

Mangoes

• Mangoes need to be peeled before they are used.
• Store mangos wrapped in the fridge.
• Mangos are a great source of vitamin A and C.

Melon – Honeydew

• Choose melons that are firm, heavy, good coloured aroma.

Melon – Rockmelon

•  Choose melons that are firm, heavy, good coloured aroma.
• Also called a cantaloupe.

Melon – Watermelon

•  Choose melons that are firm, heavy, good coloured aroma.

Nectarines

• To help remove the skin of a nectarine place it in a bowl of boiling water covering it and then drain immediately.
• Store in the fridge uncovered.
• Chose smooth, plump highly coloured nectarines.

Oranges

• Keep your oranges in the fridge uncovered.
• Pick oranges that are firm and heavy for their size.

Passionfruit

•  Store your passionfruit in the fridge in a plastic bag.
• Chose passionfruit that are heavy with a smooth dark purple skin.

Paw Paw

• The paw paw continues to ripen at room temperature so keep it in the fridge to make it last longer.
• Store paw paw wrapped in paper towel in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge.

Peaches

• There are two types of peaches: free stone and cling stone.
• Keep your peaches in the fridge uncovered.
• Pick peaches that are firm and have a good colour.

Pears

• Pears can be eaten with or without their skin.
• Choose pears that have good colour and are slightly soft around the stem area.
• Store your peaches in the fridge uncovered.

Pineapples

•  A good pineapple is a green colour with golden colours coming through, they smell sweet.
• Keep your pineapple in the fridge uncovered.

Plums

• Use a sharp knife or vegetable peeler to peel a plum, or just eat the skin!
• Pick the plums that are plump, bright and have smooth skin.
• Store plums uncovered in the fridge.

Pomegranate

• Use a bowl of water to separate your pomegranate seeds and membrane, the seeds sink to the bottom and the membrane floats at the top.

Raspberries

•  Chose raspberries that are firm, dry and have a rich colour.
• Store your raspberries covered in the fridge.

Rambutan

• The rambutan comes in red and yellow varieties.
• Sometimes referred to as a hairy fruit.
• The taste is similar to a lychee.

Strawberries

• Store strawberries in a reusable plastic container lined with a paper towel in the fridge.
• Strawberries freeze really well. To prepare them for freezing gently wash them, dry, and remove the green cap. Lay them on a flat tray to freeze and then transfer them to a plastic bag. You can freeze strawberries for up to 6 months.
• Do not wash strawberries until you are ready to use them (Unless of course your about to freeze them).
• Choose strawberries that are bright in colour.

NOTES:

Vegetable Crisper: The drawer / bin in the fridge that is designed to store fruit and vegetables.

Plastic Bag: Clip zip bag or zip lock bag.

Reusable plastic container: Tupperware.

Do you have any more information on the fruits listed above? If so feel free to comment below so that I can include the information on the page.