Fruits are in season, but it always is a gamble if the fruit you bring home is going to be sweet. Unfortunately, many fruits from the mainland and South America as picked green or half-ripe to allow time for the journey here.
An underripe fruit might be bitter because of the tannins in the green fruit. As the fruit ripens, the tannins disappear, replaced by sugars and starches. Aromas develop and the fruit texture softens.
Fruits that ripen after being picked are apricots, avocados, bananas, kiwis, mangos, pears, peaches, nectarines, persimmons and tomatoes, called climacteric fruits.
Choose apricots with deep orange color, a soft touch and have a nice fruity smell.
Pick avocados that are hard, and be patient. They will ripen about nine days after they are picked.
Because these fruits continue to ripen after they are picked, if in doubt about the kiwis, mangos, pears, peaches, nectarines and persimmons, place them in the refrigerator. This will slow down the fruit’s cellular reaction. Placing them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator reduces the available oxygen and enclosing them in bags increases the carbon dioxide. This is called controlled atmosphere storage and how ripe apples are kept before going to market.
Bananas and tomatoes, however, should never be refrigerated. Chilling bananas discolors them; tomatoes lose their flavor and aroma, and can become mealy.
If you purchase climacteric fruits and want to hasten ripening, store them in a warm place, between 70 to 90 degrees, to increase its cellular respiration. Placing them in a paper bag with a ripe apple or banana, which are rich in ethylene, also accelerates the ripening of avocados and peaches.
Non-climacteric fruits only can ripen and develop their sweetness on the plant. They include berries, grapes, cherries, melons, pineapples and citrus. They do not become sweeter once picked because they don’t store their sugars as starches, so there are no starches to convert to sugars. These fruits should only be picked when ripe.
When purchasing non-climacteric fruits, be sure they are ripe. Berries such as strawberries should be red with little or no green spots.
Grapes should be plump, with clusters attached tightly to the green stems that are pliable and not woody.
Bing cherries should be dark maroon to black and firm. When you take them home, they should be juicy.
Aloun Farms Ewa Sweet Farms on Oahu has Thai seedless watermelons and sunburst melons. Melons should be firm and heavy. When you press the melon, it should yield to light pressure. The aroma should be tropical and not sour smelling.
Pineapples should be plump and heavy, golden yellow, with some green spots. When pressed, it should yield to light pressure. Check to be sure there is no mold on the bottom. I usually pull a leaf. If it pulls out easily, it is ripe.
Right now, you might find white sugarloaf or Big Island white pineapples at the farmers markets around town. They are worth the wait for the season as they are less acidic than the yellow ones and usually very sweet. Check when purchasing — it might be ripe but have a greenish color. As pineapple is non-climacteric, do not let it sit too long before cutting it open. Waiting for it to turn yellow might be too late.
Limes should be heavy and plump, with a smooth skin and no blemishes. They should yield to light pressure.
We recently were in Southern California and had the opportunity of shopping at Von’s Supermarket. We were surprised some of the fruits were more expensive than in Hilo.
We were so trained to think the shipping costs to Hawaii are the reason we pay more.
We came home and bought Bing cherries for $1.69 at KTA Super Stores. They were $4.99 at Von’s. The peaches on the mainland were $4.99 a pound. Yes, they probably were sweeter and juicier, but I came home and have been enjoying the white peaches I bought for $1.69 a pound. Although the cherries might have been sweeter and riper if we purchased them on the mainland, because of the price difference, we did not buy any there.
Enjoy the fresh fruits of the summer because even if they are not as sweet as when purchased on the mainland, they are still better than eating canned or frozen fruit.
Fruits are a food you should be eating daily, whether it’s fresh papaya or an apples, berries or bananas. Buy fruits when they are inexpensive and enjoy this fresh salad.
Fresh Fruit Salad
Serves: 10
In a large bowl, combine:
4 cups fresh strawberries, halved
2 cups fresh blueberries
3 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
2 cups seedless grapes, halved
In a small bowl, combine:
1 cup (8 ounces) vanilla yogurt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Serve with fruit.
Foodie bites
Now open at the Puainako Town Center, in the former Encore location, is Genki Ramen.
Here are upcoming foodie events. Mark your calendars:
• 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26: The 3rd annual Hawaii Honey Festival will be hosted at Nani Mau Gardens. A new feature is a honey cooking contest by Sonia Martinez. For more information, email Sonia at cubanwahine@hawaii.rr.com
• Friday, Oct. 9: The Mealani Taste of the Range at the Hilton Waikoloa Resort. This year, the presenter is chef Roy Yamaguchi, who wil host a seminar at 3 p.m. There will be more than 30 Hawaii chefs showcasing the local cuts of various meats from the Big Island. Call 969-8220 for more information.
• 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18: The 17th annual Taste of Hilo will be hosted at the Hilo Hongwanji Betsuin Sangha Hall. This year’s featured chef is Colin Nakagawa of Seaside Restaurant, who will be cooking kampachi for Blue Ocean Mariculture. Call the Japanese Chamber office at 934-0177 or email at jccih@jccih.org for more information.
Email me at audreywilson808@gmail.com if you have questions.
