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KEYWORDS
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HINT 0R TIP
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| fruit |
Virtually all fresh fruits lose their flavor rapidly when soaked in water, so always wash them quickly in gently flowing water just before using and dry at once. |
| fruit apples |
Put peeled apples in water with lemon juice or ascorbic acid color keeper to stop them from turning brown. |
| fruit apricots shopping storage |
To get the best apricots, look for plump, fairly firm fruit with deep yellow or yellowish orange skin. Refrigerate ripe fruit for up to two days. |
| fruit avocado storage |
To store a cut avocado, allow the seed to remain embedded, spread the edges with mayonnaise, soft butter or cream, cover well with wax paper or plastic, and refrigerate. |
| fruit baking |
Nuts and fruits will not sink to the bottom of a cake if they are lightly coated with flour before they are added to the batter. |
| fruit banana |
Prevent banana slices from browning by brushing lightly with ascorbic acid color keeper or lemon juice. |
| fruit bananas ripe |
Bananas are ripe when the skin is bright yellow. They are underripe when green, and overripe when brown and mushy. |
| fruit bananas shopping |
To get the best bananas, choose them at any ripeness, from green to yellow. Ripen at room temperature until a very healthy yellow color. Over-ripe bananas are brown and make excellent breads and cakes. |
| fruit berries |
Berries should be firm and colorful. Because they spoil rapidly, eat them as soon as possible after purchase. |
| fruit berries storage |
Strawberries can be kept firm for several days if you store them in a colander where air can circulate around them. |
| fruit cherries shopping storage |
To get the best cherries, select firm, brightly colored fruit and refrigerate in a covered container for up to four days. |
| fruit cranberries shopping storage |
To get the best cranberries, avoid soft or bruised fruit. Refrigerate for up to four weeks or freeze for up to nine months. |
| fruit dates |
Cut up dates the easy way use kitchen shears and cut directly into your measuring cup |
| fruit kiwi shopping storage |
To get the best kiwifruit, choose fruit that is free of bruises and soft spots. Ripen firm fruit by placing them in a small, clean paper bag. Loosely close the bag and store at room temperature until ripe. |
| fruit melon shopping |
To ensure you have a ripe cantaloupe, choose one with a sweet, fruity fragrance that yields slightly when pressed at the stem end. It should be heavy for its size, have a thick, raised netting, and show no signs of bruising or decay. |
| fruit orange lemon lime citrus zest |
When you grate a lemon, lime, or orange do not take off more than the highly colored outer coating the white skin beneath is generally bitter. |
| fruit orange zest |
Orange zest is often used in recipes for its elusive and delicate flavor. When using orange rind, take a vegetable parer and pare off the thin bright orange part of the rind that holds the flavorful oils. |
| fruit papaya |
Ground papaya can be used as a salt substitute and can be purchased in most cooking specialty shops. |
| fruit pears shopping |
Skin color of pears is not an indicator of ripeness because skin color of some varieties does not change much as the pears ripen. |
| fruit pineapple |
Pineapples do not ripen after they are picked, so don't buy them if they are underripe and expect them to ripen when you get home. |
| fruit pineapple |
The best way to tell if a pineapple is ripe it to thump the side with the flick of a finger. A ripe pineapple will give a dull thud. |
| fruit raisins dried fruit |
To plump raisins or other dried fruit, soak them in liquid until they almost return to their natural state. |
| fruit serving flambee |
For flambeed fruits, use at least 2 ounces of alcohol and remember that unless the temperature of the fruit is at least 75 degrees you may not get any effect at all. |
| fruit storage |
Dried fruit must be stored tightly covered in a cool, dark place. They will begin to deteriorate within a matter or months. |
| fruit strawberries |
Don't wash strawberries until you're ready to use them. They keep better dry. |
| fruit strawberries |
To easily hull strawberries push one end of a plastic drinking straw into the point of the berry and push it through to pop off the cap. |
| fruit strawberries storage |
Don't wash strawberries until ready to use. wash before hulling berries so they don't absorb moisture. |
| fruit strawberries storage |
Store strawberries in a moisture-proof container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Wash them just before use. |