Fruit

Peak Season

Look For

Apples

September - May

Good color for variety; fifi rm to touch.

Avoid those that are soft and mealy

Apricots

June - July

Golden yellow; plump; fi rm. Avoid

pale yellow or green, very hard or soft,

shriveled and wilted ones.

Avocados

All year

Yield to gentle pressure; vary in size, shape

and color from green to black. Brown

markings on skin do not lower quality

Bananas

All year

Firm; bruise free; yellow touched with

green. If needed, ripen at room

temperature.

Coconuts

September - March

Good weight for the size; milk inside still

fl uid. If no milk, coconuts are spoiled.

Avoid ones with moldy or wet-looking eyes

Grapefruit

October - June

Firm; well-rounded; heavy for the size;

smooth textured. Avoid coarse, puffy,

rough-skinned fruit.

Lemons

All year

Fairly fi rm; smooth and glossy-skinned;

heavy for size.

Mangoes

April - August

Solid and not too soft to touch. Can vary in

size from a plum to an apple and in color

from yellow to red. Smooth skin often

speckled with black. Green mangoes are

sometimes used in cooking.

Pineapples

February - August

Piney” aroma; golden yellow; slightly

soft. Ripe when leaf is easily removed.

Green fruit may not ripen properly.

Over-mature fruit may show soft watery

darker spots on the base or sides.