Fruit

When apples are in season, it’s practically our duty to eat them in every form: out of hand; in pie, crisp, or cake; and in the form of applesauce and apple butter. The latter two may look similar on the surface — soft and spoonable — but they are pretty different characters. Here’s how.

The first chilly days of fall carry a whole lot of excitement around apples — whether you’re picking your own or gathering them at the farmers market — yet after you’ve snacked on and baked with your first bushel, fruit fatigue can set in. You reach a point later in the season when you just can’t look at another McIntosh or Honeycrisp. Luckily you don’t have to, since there are well over a hundred varieties of commercially grown apples to try.

As if like a balm to the drop in temperatures and endless snowy days, the winter season also ushers in a wave of glorious citrus. We love a good grapefruit just like everyone else, but from time to time we like to give citrus a sparkling upgrade for breakfast by poaching it and using it to top everything from waffles and pancakes to your bowl of oats. Perhaps you’ve poached other fruits, like pears, before.

It’s that glorious time of year you’ve been waiting for, when crates of snack-friendly clementines are stacked up tall all around the produce section. Instead of just picking up the crate at the top of the pile, here are seven things to check for to ensure you bring home the best box of clementines. As with many things in life, timing is everything when it comes to buying clementines.

Come December, we’d wager every lunch box has a clementine or two tucked inside of them. Alone they are a near-perfect snack, packaged by nature to require no extra containers, and thin-skinned and easy to peel for little hands. When you add an extra ingredient to the mix, clementines become a snack-time superstar. From chocolate to nuts, here’s how to turn your clementines into a winning snack.

I love the pop of sweet, tart juice you get from biting into a handful of pomegranate seeds, but I rarely get the pleasure since de-seeding the red orbs can be a bit of a chore. Luckily, there are a handful of tips and tricks to accomplish it with ease. I’ve tried almost all of them, but I’ve found this one to be the best. First, you’ll want to cut a 1/4-inch off the top stem so the fruit stands flat.

Firm and sturdy fruits and vegetables, like carrots and beets, are one of the simplest ways to give your morning smoothie a colorful reboot — especially in the winter when they’re readily available and filled with sweet, earthy aromas that make your smoothie feel cheery. But instead of popping them straight into the blender, you’ll want to take a minute or two to tackle their texture.

Inspired by the British summertime classic, this tall, fizzy drink is meant for sipping on warm, lazy afternoons. We mixed up a non-boozy version that skips the classic Pimm’s, but brings together lots of lemony effervescence, cucumbers, and fresh strawberries.

Dates seem to be having their time in the superfood spotlight. Full of potassium, iron, B vitamins, and fiber, this sweet fruit is being churned into paste and syrup, and even being dried and turned into sugar. Does date sugar rival its granulated counterparts when it comes to baked goods, and does it hold the same nutritional power as whole dates? We did some digging to learn all about how date sugar is made and how we can (and cannot) use date sugar in the kitchen.

Dried fruit is an actual obsession of mine. I’m one of those annoying people who eats fruit for dessert. It’s not that I don’t love chocolate or cake — I do, very much so — but I try to keep the added sugar low these days, and dried fruit is my raging sweet tooth’s saving grace. I’m also extraordinarily picky, especially with food, and most dried fruit has added sugar and/or the texture of a tire. This puts me in a predicament.

Sticky, sweet dates have many wonderful uses. They can be chopped up for a salad, blended into a smoothie, or even made into caramels. They don’t, however, actually need that much fussing to be enjoyed. All on their own, they make for a pretty good snack. Add just one more ingredient to the equation and you’ve got a snack that’s truly great. Even better, you don’t need to go out of your way to buy anything special.

Cobbler is one of those scrappy recipes beloved for its ability to transform fresh fruit and pantry staples into a well-loved dessert, while simultaneously being un-screw-up-able. Although, like many casual desserts, cobbler can be mastered or ruined by just a few key choices. Today, we’re going to tackle the six most common things you shouldn’t do so your cobbler turns out beautifully every time.

Del Monte Fresh Produce has been playing around with a strain of pineapples since 2005 that changed the fruit’s color and flavor. Their patented work has manifested in sweeter pineapples that are also pink in color. The genetically engineered pineapple received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last December and is now making its presence known on social media. Grown in Costa Rica, the pineapples have been named Rosé Pineapples by the company.

With peach season nearly upon us, it’s time to finally answer the question that crosses my mind every year: Why are peaches coated with a soft fuzz? If you’ve ever eaten a fresh peach, I’m sure you’ve wondered the same. It’s time to finally put your curiosity to rest, because I have the answer for you.

Here’s the secret no Southern cook wants you to know: As much pride as we have for our state’s peaches, we all have a bag (or more) of frozen peaches hidden away in the deep freeze. Yes, a peak-season peach is worthy of songs and stories of longing, but frozen peaches are a steadfast staple of Southern cooks in the know. First of all, let me be clear that I’m talking about frozen peaches, not canned peaches.

If, like me, your mission every summer is to eat as much sweet, juicy melon as humanly possible, then there’s no reason to stop now. Summer’s not over and there’s still a lot of fresh melon to be had. If you’ve had your fill of eating those thick-cut slices of watermelon out of hand, know that there are still a lot of ways to put one of summer’s sweetest fruits to work.

If you want to start your day with the sweet taste of summer all year long, these frozen peach-raspberry smoothie kits are always a good place to start. Sunny stone fruit and jewel-toned berries are partnered with a surprising ingredient (hint: it’s a vegetable) for a subtly sweet smoothie with an extra-creamy texture. This kit comes together with peaches, raspberries, and cauliflower, plus a liquid of your choice when it’s time to blend. Here’s what you’ll need.

Reminiscent of the childhood classic we all love, this creamy smoothie treats you to the fruity, nutty flavors that make the PB&J such an enduring favorite. Each smoothie pack is filled with cherries and strawberries for sweet, jammy flavor, plus sliced banana for extra creaminess. We’re adding the peanut butter to the bag to keep it classic, but why not go a little off course with almond or cashew butter for a cool smoothie that will not disappoint?

My first experience with “nice” ice cream was 10 years ago on a family vacation in Hawaii. The hotel served some type of magical dairy-free pineapple soft-serve, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how they made it. So I ate as much of it as I could before the trip was over, then promptly resumed my nightly Graeter’s habit upon our return home to Cincinnati. I figured the magical stuff could only be created in the tropical oasis that is Maui.

One of the biggest challenges of packing my kids’ school lunches is seeing — and cleaning up — the food that comes back home. Not only is it a major bummer to see the food go to waste, but it also leaves me wondering if my kids spent the afternoon hungry. Sliced apples — beloved by my kids at home — used to always come back in their lunch boxes uneaten.

By now, you’ve likely eaten tomatoes every which way this summer. Maybe you’ve enjoyed them on toast, in a caprese salad, with pasta, or in pie. But there’s one way you likely haven’t enjoyed them, and it’s the perfect way to celebrate their juicy sweetness as the season begins to draw to a close. Try pairing summer tomatoes with a pinch of ground cinnamon (yes, cinnamon!). Let us explain why.

When you think of chocolate and fruit, chocolate-covered strawberries are probably the very first thing that come to mind. It’s hard not to love the treat, whether you splurge at the Godiva store at the mall or you make them yourself for someone you love. That’s really just the beginning when it comes to enjoying chocolate and fruit together, though.

Despite how much I truly dislike winter, there’s always been one big silver lining: all the amazing citrus. I basically stuff myself with in-season oranges, grapefruit, and lemons from January through March in an effort to bring a bit of sunshine to these cold, dark days.

I grew up in a grapefruit-loving household. We’d eat it so frequently through the winter months that went I left for college, I packed along one of our serrated grapefruit spoons to be certain I’d easily be able to keep the tradition in my dorm room. So it was most definitely news to me when I realized not everyone adores the bitter citrus as much as my family does.

When I think of getting trapped on a desert island, I think to myself: it can’t be that bad. Well, ignoring the obvious dangers of no access to clean water or protein, and having to deal with wild animals who would love nothing more than to treat themselves to an exotic dinner (you), there could be benefits. Right? If you find yourself on one of the more fruitful islands, perhaps off Hawaii in some yet uncharted place, you could have fresh fruits like mangoes, coconut, and pineapple.

If you thought bananas were only good for slicing over some cereal or added to a smoothie for a thickener, then you are wrong, my friends. So very wrong. Bananas are made for dessert, like in pudding and cream pies! As if to prove this point even further, we just heard about the Blue Java banana, which is this beautifully-hued banana which grows mostly in Asia, Australia, and Hawaii.

A really good fruit salad can be a truly special treat. Light and refreshing, it is so simple to pull together yet has the power to be the star of your brunch, potluck, and even dessert spread. While choosing the right fruits to add to the bowl will certainly help when you want to whip up a crowd-pleaser, the real key to amazing fruit salad doesn’t come from the produce aisle.

Unlike berries, stone fruit, and apples, which hit their peak at specific times of the year, you can pick up a bunch of bananas just about any time and taste the same sweet, creamy bite. The trick is knowing how to pick the best hand (another word for bunch) of bananas from the grocery store, and these five tips will make it a whole lot easier. Relying on visual cues is the best way to pick the perfect hand of bananas.

Summer produce brings to mind plump, juicy tomatoes, perfectly round peaches and plums, and overflowing bundles of vibrant green herbs. But you know what’s just as delicious as a picture-perfect peach? A slightly bruised or misshapen one, puréed into a smoothie, sliced into wedges and nestled into cake batter, or stewed into a sweet peach jam. Supermarkets often reject “ugly” or “imperfect” produce because it doesn’t meet their display standards.

The freezer is such a treasure chest of kitchen delights. I reach into my own for frozen vegetables to get dinner done in a pinch, ice for cold brew and boo-boos alike, and frozen fruit like berries, cherries, and peaches (yes, even in the height of summer!). And yet, I’m not making smoothies every day. No, I’m using frozen fruit for everything from dessert to dinner in a few surprising ways that makes these frozen gems worth their weight in gold.

This summer we think you should give banana ice cream, also known as nice cream, a try. Why? Well, for one it’s the easiest freezer treat that you can make without an ice cream maker. Nice cream is also full of fruit, easily customizable, and so dang delicious you’ll be eating it for breakfast too.

I wait all year long for the arrival of rhubarb — it’s easily one of my most favorite signs of spring. Yet, as well-loved as it is, rhubarb tends to be a little misunderstood. There’s a lot of mystery behind those funny-looking, pink celery-esque stalks. Here’s what you should know. While it’s most commonly paired with strawberries, rhubarb actually isn’t a fruit. It’s technically a vegetable and is in the same family as sorrel.

If you are as excited about the imminent return of citrus season as I am, you’re going to want to stock up and keep these bright smoothie packs on repeat for as long as possible. Sweet orange segments are paired with tropical mango for a big punch of vitamin C, plus banana for a cool, creamy finish. This kit comes together with a trio of fruit, a hit of greens, plus a liquid of your choice when it’s time to blend. Here’s what you’ll need.

Unlike stone fruits and berries, which greet you with their sweet fragrance and have easy-to-examine flesh, buying a watermelon can feel like a leap of faith when you don’t know what to look for. Instead of just picking up the melon at the top of the pile, here are five things to check for to ensure you bring home a juicy, flavorful watermelon.

Sour cherries are one of my most eagerly awaited fresh fruits of the summer. Thin-skinned and tart, they aren’t really best for eating out of hand. We who love them use them as creatively and quickly as we can, putting their bright, acidic hit to good use in jams, cakes, pies, cocktails, and even in the occasional savory dish. Picture your classic cherry pie, bright-red and glowing with orbs of juicy fruit. Well, you’ve just pictured sour cherries.

Berry intake is on the rise and it may have a thing or two to do with their “superfood” status. Blueberries and raspberries, in particular, are applauded for their nutritional value. So it’s not too surprising that data from the United States Department of Agriculture found the per capita consumption of blueberries went up by 411 percent from 2000 to 2012, 475 percent for raspberries, and even 60 percent for strawberries.

The second summer hits, it feels like a rush to the farmers market to stock up on berries, melons, and stone fruits galore. But when it comes to baking up sweet treats, you might want to reconsider reaching for fresh. Not only is it easy to swap frozen for fresh in most recipes, but frozen fruit also typically works just as well as, if not better than, its fresh counterpart. Here are three times when frozen fruit is better than fresh for baking.

Some might argue that the very best part of summertime cobblers, crisps, and crumbles is the sweet and jammy fruit filling, but I firmly believe it’s the crispy topping that makes it complete. The crunchy bite of oat-loaded crumbles and the delicate crackle of a cobbler’s biscuits are a huge part of the appeal.

There isn’t really anything sweeter than the arrival of strawberry season. For me, it not only marks the arrival of fresh fruit after a long, cold winter of imported citrus and cellared apples, but it’s also the kickoff to all the berries and stone fruit that’s soon to arrive. Now’s the time to binge on cartons of strawberries until your fingers are stained and your belly is stuffed. Here’s how to buy the best of the best, because the season is too short not to.

There are few fruity combinations that scream summer quite as profoundly as tart rhubarb balanced by sweet strawberries. It’s a quintessential pairing I look forward to every year as the early days of summer near, and my tastebuds water just thinking about it. From the classics to new favorites, here are 10 absolutely delicious ways to get your strawberry-rhubarb fix this summer.

Dates are a powerhouse sweetener. Not only are they naturally high in sugar and fiber, but their sweetness also has distinct caramel-like flavor that just cannot be replicated. However, when it comes to replacing dates for white sugar in cooking and baking, a simple one-for-one swap isn’t always possible. But dates can be manipulated into a few baking-friendly forms and replace white sugar in everything from salad dressing to cookies.

Even when you know just what to look for when picking out a carton of strawberries, there is no true guarantee for that sweet, juicy flavor you expect from prime summer berries. If you’re faced with bland berries, fear not — there is still hope. Here are four easy ways to make bland strawberries a whole lot sweeter. The quickest, easiest path to sweeter strawberries is tossing them with a spoonful of sugar (or sugar substitute, if you prefer).

The prices for peaches are on the rise after Georgia lost roughly 80 percent of its crop this year due to irregular weather. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that a warm winter, coupled with a hard freeze this spring, resulted in a bulk of peach crop dying this year in the South. Georgia produced 43,000 tons of peaches last year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, and this year the state’s output may be a quarter of that.

It’s early June, which means one thing: Strawberry season is here! This time of year, I can’t get enough of these deeply flavored, rich berries. I love them so much, I can barely wait until I get home from the farmers market to gobble them up — but I know that to truly get the most out of my berry haul, they need a little bit of prep work. You’ve probably done this before, but a quick refresher never hurt.

My sister went to college at Tulane University in New Orleans. Each summer she’d come home bragging about the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival, a weekend-long, mystical-sounding party of music, games, rides, and, of course, strawberries. I was always envious of this celebration, but on the plus side I have her to thank for learning about what is now one of my very favorite parts of strawberry season: strawberry beer, specifically Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager.

I know fruit smoothies can be plenty sweet on their own, but I like a little something more. My sweetener of choice is dates. They add the extra sweetness I crave along with subtle notes of rich caramel, and I feel good knowing I’m satisfying my sweet tooth with something wholesome. These dried fruits have also changed the way I make smoothies. When I toss dates into my smoothies, there’s always one thing I do first to guarantee the smoothest drink possible. Can you guess what it is?

If you’ve ever brought a package of dates home, on at least one occasion you’ve probably pulled them out to find them looking kind of crystallized on the outside and way more firm than you remember. Am I right? Here’s the thing about dates — these sweet fruits continue to dry out (and eventually harden up) as they age. It happens when they’re stored properly, and even faster when they’re not.

Sometimes when people ask me what I do for fun, I tell them I go to the grocery store. It’s probably the fastest way to get a skeptical eyebrow lifted in your direction, but with all those aisles, all that produce, and all those labels to read, it’s true! And I’m not alone in my affection.

Regardless of whether you love a smoothie bowl or think that this tasty trend should end Think of this as a grain bowl meets fruit salad, with enough whole grains and fresh fruit to keep you full until lunch and a punchy vinaigrette gilding the whole thing. Not only are these bowls easier to eat than a smoothie bowl, they can also be prepared in advance, making them easier to take on the go or to eat at your desk.

This year we’re bringing grains to the breakfast bowl with the help of your everyday fruit salad. Together with a choice combination of fruit and grains — be it quinoa, barley, or farro — you can transform a light fruit salad into a hearty, one-bowl meal satisfying enough for breakfast, lunch, and yes, even dinner.

It’s true that the sweet segments of a clementine are the main attraction, and the whole reason for buying crate after crate of these winter beauties. Don’t discount the peels, though — they come with big (and sometimes unexpected) potential, and deserve to be saved. Think of clementines (and really, all citrus) as a two-for-one deal. Obviously you’re in it for those sweet and juicy segments, but the peel is pretty valuable too.

Trying to get the most juice out of limes can be tough. We have a whole bunch of tricks on the site for how to get the job done, including rolling limes and putting them in the microwave. I thought I had seen it all until a post popped up on Reddit, which includes an image that indicates we should be cutting our limes in a different way to get the most juice. Have you tried this? Does it actually make a difference? I needed to find out.

We anxiously await the arrival of fresh figs every year. Their season is short-lived (at least here in the Northeast) and they’re not exactly inexpensive, but one bite makes the wait and price worth it. Once you’ve had your fill of fresh figs all on their own, try pairing them with these 10 foods. The contrast in flavor between the pungent, stinky cheese and the delicate sweetness of the figs is what makes these two so perfect together.

A light, refreshing fruit salad is a great way to wrap up a summer cookout. But it’s all too easy to get carried away when you’re cutting up your fruit and end up with a giant bowl that’s way more than you need. The leftover fruit salad may be great over your yogurt the next morning, but soon after it starts to look sad and slightly mushy. Here are five ways to use up fruit salad that’s just past its prime.

It’s usually right around this point in the summer, each and every year, that I get the warmest, fuzziest feeling at the farmers market — the abundance of seasonal fruits and vegetables has a way of doing that. Saturday after Saturday, piles of tomatoes after piles of peaches, I start to think it may just last forever, that those deep winter days of nothing but cellared potatoes and onions will never arrive. But the sad truth is that they will.

When you go to the store to pick up fruit, how do you know exactly what size you need? Get familiar with a little melon math and consider the problem solved.

We’re smack-dab in the dog days of summer, where keeping drinks cool with plenty of extra ice cubes becomes mandatory. Use this as your opportunity to give your drink — be it a simple glass of seltzer or a fancy cocktail — an easy upgrade with bold and brightly colored ice cubes. There’s truly no set formula for preparing these cubes. It’s totally dependent on your preference, and how you intend to use the ice.

Sweet, juicy watermelon really can do no wrong. Sliced into thick wedges and eaten with sticky fingers, it’s summer fruit at its finest. You can also toss it with feta for a sweet and salty fruit salad or whiz it into a ridiculously refreshing cocktail, but you already know this. What you might not know is that watermelon can be transformed into something hot, savory, and spicy. I am talking about watermelon curry. The first time I read about watermelon curry I was confused.

Pick up a seedless watermelon and you may feel like you solved all your watermelon problems. No black seeds to spit out, right? Well, yes, except for the fact that even though a seedless watermelon doesn’t contain black seeds, it still can be full of white, almost translucent seeds. So is the term “seedless” just a big, fat lie? No, not exactly. First, it’s important to understand what seedless watermelons really are.

Does your farmers market or farm stand offer true summer strawberries? You know, the strawberries that are grown in the season they were meant to be grown in. The ones that are picked ripe in the field and are red all the way through, that actually smell like strawberries and taste like heaven? If so, go there as soon as possible, purchase a basketful, but don’t hurry home. Just sit back and pick one berry, any berry, and take a bite. But be careful.

It may seem like a no-brainer to buy a seedless watermelon instead of a seeded one — those hard black seeds are annoying to spit out, so it makes sense to avoid them completely and go with the seedless variety — however, it’s argued that seeded watermelon actually have more flavor than seedless. Is that true? And if so, why is it that the case? This is actually just a big, fat myth.

Watermelon season is most definitely upon us, sticky juice dripping down our chin and all. For the rest of the summer we’ll be cutting through countless watermelons in order to get our fill, and we hope you do the same. But beyond the juicy pink flesh, let’s talk about the seeds. Yes, there is a whole lot to talk about when it comes to those little guys. Sit with a pile of watermelon slices long enough and suddenly the seed questions emerge. Why are there black and white ones?

Perhaps the biggest question to answer when it comes to purchasing that heavy watermelon for your weekend cookout is whether to buy a classic seeded one or go for the seedless variety. Besides the obvious fact that seedless watermelons don’t contain those hard black seeds, what’s actually the difference between the two?

While I’m firmly on Team No Salt when it comes to prepping eggplant, there is one extra step that proves worthwhile for easier cooking and better-tasting eggplant — and it involves your microwave. Pre-cooking in the microwave is the same reason why some people opt to salt eggplant before cooking. Not only does microwaving prove to be a lot faster, but it also allows you much more control over seasoning the eggplant when you cook.

Bring up the subject of cooking eggplant and inevitably the conversation finds its way to salting. Some camps say no, and some camps say yes. On our Kitchn team, Sheela and I represented those two opposing ideas, with Kelli swooping in with a whole new idea all together. Arguing that salting is a tool to get you to your desired outcome, I’m firmly of the stance that salting is essential to bringing out the best in eggplant.

This summer I have three road trips on the calendar, and one thing I’m definitely not leaving home without is plenty of snacks. While I like to keep things varied, at the top of this summer’s pack list is fruit. Right now we have a bounty of fresh fruit at our fingertips, and when packed just right it’s a refreshing frozen treat that makes road tripping even sweeter. The key to making frozen fruit successful for snacking on the go is all about the prep and packing.

How often do you head to the grocery store with a long list of things to buy and very little time to do it? Pretty often, I’m guessing. Having to weigh out ingredients in the produce aisle can feel like one more task you don’t have time for, which is why I recommend you learn what they look like instead. If it’s pears you’re picking up, here’s how to spot a pound. For a pound of pears, look for a pair. Easy enough to remember, right?

Seasonal rituals like spring cleaning and Thanksgiving holiday prep are some of the most powerful ways we have of connecting with our kitchens, but summer asks for something simpler. After all, this is the season of laid-back living, lighter meals, and (hopefully) a more relaxed routine. Here is a small but mighty way to acknowledge the warmer weather. In many Asian countries, people honor “the kitchen god” by making seasonal offerings.

There’s no denying our love for raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, but there’s a whole world of berries beyond them worth exploring. The thing is, you probably won’t find them at your local grocery store or even the farmers market. These berries are more likely found along roadsides and in your friends’ backyards. To the naked eye, huckleberries look a whole lot like blueberries, but they’re actually quite different.

You know what I’m talking about. At one time or another, whether on the blueberries you picked yourself or grabbed at the store, you’ve probably noticed a dull grayish-white waxy coating surrounding your berries. Perhaps you’ve simply wiped it away before diving into your berry haul. But do you have any guesses as to what it might be? This pale coating that leaves berries a dusky shade of blue is called bloom.

You’re in the grocery store and need to pick up a pound of strawberries, and you need to do it without a scale or one of those handy clamshell containers that will tell you all you need to know. No worries — this is how you eyeball a pound of strawberries. One pound of strawberries is 15 to 20 medium berries. These are strawberries about the size of a ping-pong ball. Any larger than that and a pound will be closer to 10 berries.

I dream of the time in summer when I can find tomatoes so sweet and ripe that I can bite into them like an apple; the kind bursting with flavor and a fragrance that hits your nose before you reach the bin. It’s tough to wait, so I have a little trick for getting more delicious flavor out of the bland, out-of-season tomatoes that populate the grocery store the rest of the year.