Fruit with smooth unblemished skin. Ripe fruit has more yellow than green colouring and yields to gentle pressure.
Ripen firm fruit at room temperature in a loosely closed paper bag. Cover, refrigerate ripe fruit for up to one week.
Rinse, cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. Scope out flesh or peel skin and cut as desired.
Dark purple, pink or yellow green egg shaped fruit. Shriveled fruit is ripe and ready to eat.
Refrigerate ripe fruit covered for a few days. Ripen at room temperature, out of direct sun until wrinkled.
Halve and scoop out juicy, yellow pulp and edible seeds. Eat fresh and use in desserts, juices and jams. A little lime juice heightens its flavour. Sweet tart flavour and very fragrant smell.
Fruit with yellowish (not green) background. Ripe fruit yields to gentle pressure when squeezed in your palm, not with the fingers.
Cover, refrigerate ripe fruit unwashed for up to one week. Ripen firm fruit at room temperature in a paper bag.
Rinse. Remove pit by cutting fruit lengthwise around pit and twist to separate halves. Peel if desired. Blanching will remove skins.
Firm, well shaped, fruit. Use fully ripe fruit for immediate use. Minor scars and blemishes do not affect flavour.
Cover, refrigerate unwashed ripe fruit for up to three days. Ripen firm fruit at room temperature in a paper bag until it yields to gentle pressure at stem.
Rinse. To prevent browning, coat cut surfaces with lemon juice.
Persimmons with deep red undertones. Look for persimmons that are round and plump with glossy, smooth skin. Avoid blemishes, bruises or cracked skin and ensure it has leaves at the top.
Store them in the refrigerator when ripe.
The fruit can be eaten raw. Wait until they're extremely soft, so that they feel as if they're filled with water, before eating their jelly-like insides or else the experience will be very unpleasant. It can take up to a week for one to ripen, but the process can be sped up by storing it in a paper bag with a banana. Fuyu persimmons can be eaten when firm like an apple, skin and all.
Large plump, fruit with sweet fragrance and crown of deep green (not brown) leaves. Colour is not an indication of ripeness.
Use immediately or refrigerate uncovered for two or three days.
Rinse, discard crown and bottom end. Remove end on strips from top to bottom. Slice and core as desired.
Firm, plump, dry, red coloured fruits.
Keep uncovered at room temperature for a few days or refrigerate washed fruits in a ventilated container for 1 to 2 weeks.
Fresh fruits may be eaten plain or pressed into juice, jams and preserves.
Firm, heavy plantains. The skin may be green, yellow or black depending on its ripeness. When ripe, they have brown skin, dark spots and rough areas.
Refrigerate for a few days when very ripe and soft. If unripe, store uncovered in a dark cool area.
Wash and leave skins for baking. Peel and slice for sauting and mashing.
Full coloured smooth fruit. Ripe fruit yields to gentle pressure.
Cover, refrigerate ripe fruit unwashed for up to five days. Ripen firm fruit in loosely closed paper bag at room temperature.
Rinse and eat.
Large pomegranates, heavy for size.
Keep at room temperature for a few days or refrigerate for 1 to 2 weeks. Seeds and juice can be frozen.
Slit skin and carefully pull away skin and pith (note: the juice stains). Only seeds are edible. Pomegranates are juicy with a sweet tart flavour. Sprinle over salads, desserts or crush seeds in blender and strain to make juice for drinks, sauces and jellies.
Firm, unblemished fruit, yellow to red in colour.
Refrigerate ripe fruits unwashed up to 5 days. Ripe prickly pears are red all over. Ripen fruits at room temperature.
Peel skin back and scoop out fruit to puree or slice using rubber gloves. Peeled fruit can be frozen. Sprinkle with lemon or lime juice to accent flavour. Use in fruit salads or as a garnish with meat dishes. Sweet, juicy texture like watermelon and pear like taste.
Dark, shiny, moist, slightly soft and nicely plump. Prunes are readily available in most supermarkets, pre-packaged, in bulk or in a jar in their own juice.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place where they will keep for several months. Storing them in the refrigerator will extend their freshness, allowing them to keep for about six months.
Prunes sold with pits should be pitted if you want to use them for cooking or to add to a dish or a preparation. Pitted prunes are ready to use.
Fruit that feels firm and heavy for its size, as lightweight pummelos lack juice.
Store at room temperature for 3 to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Prepare and eat a pummelo much as you would many other citrus fruits. However, one distinguishing feature of the pummelo is its thick rind which may necessitate use of a decent knife.
