It’s harvest time in much of the northern hemisphere, so homegrown produce such as apples and pears is abundantly available, and often ready to eat straight away. But shops and supermarkets are stacked with fruit from all over the world, all of which may be colourful and appealing, but possibly not ripe at all. To the untrained eye, a ripe melon may be indistinguishable from one that won’t be ready for a week. How do you tell if something is at its best, past its best – or rock hard and sour because it needs more time?
There are some universal clues to look out for, most importantly colour and smell. Generally speaking, ripe fruit is fragrant, and as emphatically the colour it’s supposed to be as possible. Beyond that, there are techniques and strategies for specific crops. Here’s how to gauge the ripeness of everything from avocados and bananas to pears and pumpkins.
