Shopping for fresh apples and oranges

Now that we are in apple season and entering orange season at some point, how do we make sure when we go to the store that we are getting a "fresh crop" of fruit and not something that has been stored in a ware house for months from last season? I am talking more about store bought apples not farmers market where you can talk to the growers etc. My perception is that apples and oranges are picked and then may be stored for some time as the crop is ready to be on the market. This could be wrong. Pls advise.

I'd never buy pre-bagged apples, oranges, or pears if you paid me. Wrinkly skin or light weight fruit is a dead give-away. Also, only buy fruits in-season. Oranges are generally mid-winter - late spring. Apples and pears are late summer - mid winter. Buy an apple in May, or an orange in August, and you'll figure it out pretty quickly. These Chilean fruits invading the market are getting better, but they still are lacking when compared to domestic fruits "in-season." The plus thing about the Chilean fruits is that they can offer edible fruits when the domestic season is over - like grapes and nectarines in February. I actually bought some Chilean green seedles grapes last Feb, and they were borderline passable. Eyes, hands, and shopping at fruit markets that generally have good looking stuff is my advice to you. Get to know your fruit markets.

Hi- I grew up on a fruit farm in Michigan, and the apples you get in the bags in the grocery stores from January until July are all apples that have been stored in a controlled atmosphere environment, which means that the apples you purchase in May at Jewel, are as crisp as the ones you purchase in November. That is assuming that they don't sit forever in the store. The apples are still crisp when they leave the controlled environment, and then it is us to the store to sell them quickly. The farmer's market is still open until November 5 at Evanston, and the Emmanuel Lutheran church in Evanstonh always does a farmer's market the Saturday before Thanksgiving. I believe Green City and Logan Square also do a winter farmer's market at least once a month. There is a bumper crop of Michigan apples this season, and so please frequent your farmer's market if you can. I just got some more $5 a bag honeycrisp and heirloom tomatoes at the Evanston market again today. I saw several people there just getting nothing but honeycrisp from John First, because that is such a good deal. He should have them again next week. He usually starts his $5 a bag sale around 11:45-12:00.

It is too early to get good oranges. I personally love clementimes, and I have seen them at the store lately, but I am sure they are not from California yet. You usually cannot get decent citrus until around the beginning of December

Right now you can also get decent pears, cider, grapes and plums at the farmer's markets. I never purchase the apple juice in the glass or clear plastic bottle that is available at Dominick's or Jewel. They happen to put in what ever apples they have to the mix. Lots of times the last week of the farmer's market you can get some really good deals on stuff such as apples, pears, and hard squash. Hope this helps, Nancy

Hi- I just noticed that you are in Wheaton, which is a ways from Evanston. The only farmer's market in the Western suburbs I am familiar with is the Oak Park market, which is supposed to be as good as the Evanston market. Faith in Place does some Winter markets in the Chicago area. They did one last winter in Evanston. I think they usually do one a week, and they do them in churches all over the Chicago area. I get emails from them all the time in the winter. They sell apples and cider at their farmer's markets, as well as mushrooms, baked goods and some vegetables. Hope this helps, Nancy

wheaton has the french market and a farmers market. Occasionally I go to these but I usually buy my fruit from whole foods, jewel, dominicks, ultra, or aldi. I have actually have good luck with some of aldi bagged fruit. their oranges are good. Not big but the taste is good. they also sell michigan apples at times. Other times in certain stores the apples are mealy and the oranges tasteless. I am not sure what this has to do with but hate when it happens. thanks all for your advice.

How I have avoided eating a mealy apple for the past 3 or 4 years:
In apple season, only buy Fuji or Honeycrisps. If those two varieties are not available, do not buy before sampling. End of story.

How I have avoided bad oranges for the past 10 years: Only buy them in season, and know when they start hitting. Navels, Valencias, and Cara Caras, I think in that order. Also, Florida vs California. Florida oranges usually get the nod for orange flavor, but California Oranges are easier for peel and eat. At the height of their season, California Navels are sublime, imo. When you buy outside of season, all bets are off.

Hi- I do buy produce occasionally in the winter time at Aldi's. I've had good luck with bananas and pineapple. I didn't think the strawberries I bought at Aldi's last spring were that good. I bought a bag of onions there last winter, and I had to throw over half of them away. They went bad really quick. The only other vegetables I have bought at Aldi's were carrotts. The veggies at Aldi's are not as good as the fruit is. Aldi's produce is better than it used to be though.

The reason why the apples are mealy is because the store does not have a fast enough turnover, or they haven't rotated their displays like they should. Starting about the beginning of December, I usually have really good luck with California clementines, and you can frequently find coupons for them in the Sunday paper. The clementines from Spain are usually good too. but I try not to buy any imported produce. Food safety is not as high a priority in places like Spain and Mexico, as it is in the U.S. I think I have seen the three pound bags of clementines at Aldi's but they were not particularly a good deal there.

It is not too late to pick your own apples too. I think there are some apple orchards within an hour's drive from where you live.

I have been to the French market in Wilmette a few times, and it is too commercial for me. Some of the farmer's have told me that they do not want to sell at any of the French markets. Hope this helps, Nancy

I rarely buy a bad fruit because I buy the varieties of apple I like (I tend towards crisp and slightly tart varieties) and always buy fruit that is heavier than it looks and very firm to the touch, but not rock-hard. Very few wrinkles around the blossom end are ok, but not more than that. They should also be quite fragrant. I want something that not only tastes like sweet malic acid, but like the apples of my childhood; the fragrance test is the most important for that. Some people speculate that an apple is only born with so much flavor in it, and the larger the apple, the more dilute the flavor. I'm not sure that's always correct, but medium-small apples tend to please me most anyway.

I was taught how to pick out a crisp apple by a trumpet player who grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania. He held the apple up to his ear and tapped on it with his index finger. What you want to hear is a sharp, crisp sound. A dull thud guarantees a mealy apple.

NFriday wrote:Hi- I grew up on a fruit farm in Michigan, and the apples you get in the bags in the grocery stores from January until July are all apples that have been stored in a controlled atmosphere environment, which means that the apples you purchase in May at Jewel, are as crisp as the ones you purchase in November. That is assuming that they don't sit forever in the store. The apples are still crisp when they leave the controlled environment, and then it is us to the store to sell them quickly.

To an extent, how good stored apples are depends on variety. My favorite kind is McIntosh, and they do not store well, so I only buy them in the fall. Other types, such as Galas, store beautifully in the controlled atmosphere.

Hi- I was in the Meijer's on Golf Road in Niles yesterday, and they had 10 different varieties of Michigan apples on sale for 49 cents a pound, and they looked good. They also had a 3 pound bag of Michigan honeycrisp on sale for $2.49 a bag, but this was a one dale sale. The 49 cent apples are still on sale through Wednesday. I did not get any, because I still have plenty of the honeycrisp I got super cheap at the Evanston farmer's market, and hopefully I can get some more next Saturday from the same grower.

Meijer's is based out of Grand Rapids, and they are much better about carrying local produce than Dominick's or Jewel is. The Meijer stores in Michigan even carry Michigan peaches in season. Most of the Meijer's stores in Michigan have a sign up in the produce section, with a list of the local farmer's they deal with. In general Meijer's has a better produce section than either Dominick's or Jewel does, and their regular prices are cheaper. I used to shop at Meijer's all the time when I lived in Michigan. Hope this helps, Nancy

I bought some honey crisp apples at the Wheaton French market on Saturday and also some Jonagold. I can' t remember but they were three or four dollars a bag. There were a variety of Michigan growers there offering different items, including fruits and vegetables. An olive seller, as well as an olive oil seller. Someone selling pesto. Many bread and bakery items. Also there are people selling clothing, purses, jewelry, artwork, flowers etc. There is a pampered Chef booth there. They also had someone singing for entertainment.

Hi- That is why I don't like the french markets, because they are too commercial. Some of the farmer's have told me that they won't sell at one either. The cities have these French markets, because it does not cost them any money, and they don't have to deal with managing a market. I assume that the company that puts these markets on, actually pays the city some money every week. Out where you are, they are over the place, whereas the Wilmette one is the only one near me. All of the rest of the municipalities around Evanston have their own farmer's market. I am glad that you were able to find some decent apples.

If you ever go near a Meijer's, they always have wonderful Michigan apples in the fall and winter. Right now they are on sale there. Hope this helps, Nancy

thanks nancy. we have a farmers market too but it shut down the end of sept. so wont be much help for apples. I dont have a meiers near but if i ever get by one i will check out the apples among other things.

A friendly reminder (confirming what others have said):

The Logan Square Farmer's Market will be moving indoors next week, with additional vendors this year. This will be the 3rd year offering the market "rear round" - although the indoor market only runs through March, every Sunday in the lobby of the Congress Theater, from 10a-2p (ends one hour earlier).

Apples will be on hand for awhile, please come support the vendors that have signed on for another season. Just like the outdoor version, every year brings more support and vendors, which is necessary to keep this going and growing.

Details:

Starting Sunday, November 6th, through March 25th

Closed 11/27/11, 12/25/11 & 1/1/12 (no market during the holiday weekends)

Meijer had a wide variety of apples for 59 cents a pound yesterdy. They are in open bins so you can pick through and mix.

Apple prices today at Meijer went up to 1.69 lb. Again in open bins so you can choose. My partner need apples for an event at work so we found an 8 lb. bag for 4.98, hopefully they are all good.

Supermarkets Make Stars Out of Weird Apples, Knobbled Carrots and ‘Spuglies’

http://www.wsj.com/articles/in-supermar ... 1474561531