Apples!!!
Whether picking your own, buying a bushel of apples from a farm stand or your local grocer here are some tips on determining if they are just ripe.
1. Select firm, bruise free apples.
2. Color can determine the ripeness of the apple however there are many apple varieties this will vary. For example a yellow variety of apple is ripe when there is only a hint of green left on it.
3. Seeds become brown when the apple is ripe. Cut into one apple of the group and check.
To keep apples longer, store in a cool place, keep the stems on them & don’t wash until just before eating.
How to stop sliced apples from browning:
1. Dip the apple slices in a bowl of water (say 2 quarts) with 1/2 cup of lemon juice, or
2. Dip freshly cut apples in sugar or sugar syrup, which coats the cut apples preventing oxygen from coming into contact with the cut cells, or
3. Blanch the apples; immersing them in boiling water for 60 seconds, then using a slotted spoon to scoop them out and cool them in ice water for a couple of minutes. This slows the enzymes.
Reference: University of CA at Davis
1. Select firm, bruise free apples.
2. Color can determine the ripeness of the apple however there are many apple varieties this will vary. For example a yellow variety of apple is ripe when there is only a hint of green left on it.
3. Seeds become brown when the apple is ripe. Cut into one apple of the group and check.
To keep apples longer, store in a cool place, keep the stems on them & don’t wash until just before eating.
How to stop sliced apples from browning:
1. Dip the apple slices in a bowl of water (say 2 quarts) with 1/2 cup of lemon juice, or
2. Dip freshly cut apples in sugar or sugar syrup, which coats the cut apples preventing oxygen from coming into contact with the cut cells, or
3. Blanch the apples; immersing them in boiling water for 60 seconds, then using a slotted spoon to scoop them out and cool them in ice water for a couple of minutes. This slows the enzymes.
Reference: University of CA at Davis