Fruit is a must-have at summer picnics and cookouts, but it won't do much good if it's mushy or underripe. Navigating the produce aisle is an art. You've got to know what to look for well before you ...

Asian pears are ready to eat when purchased; European pears ripen after harvest. Check European pears for color changes, sweet aroma and soft flesh near the stem to spot ripeness. To speed ripening, ...

Never pick up a hard, flavorless fruit again. Enjoyed on their own in an old-fashioned apple pie, in a Waldorf salad (Granny ...

A ripe watermelon will feel heavy, have a dry brown tendril, a yellow ground spot, dull skin, and a sweet smell. Check that the blossom end is slightly soft, the color is vibrant and uniform, and it ...

“Watermelons will not ripen after harvesting; they will get a little redder inside, but they will not get sweeter,” says watermelon farmer Ben Horton of Healthy Harvest Farms in Fort Pierce, Fla. He ...