European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 4, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 the stars and stripes Friday april 4, 1986 consumer watch shh my a Chi Chi shh Shii i Shihi he in in huh a fresh fruit choosing the pick of the crop n. M of a of to t her Abe a Teuk by Mary Neth consumer editor in the coming months Europe s produce markets will be flooded with mouthwatering displays of fruit Golden yellow Grapefruit piles of deep red cherries bins of apricots peaches melons. It s not that there has been a Complete absence of All this during the Winter. Imports from sunnier climes guarantee technicolor produce stands even during the gravest and coldest of european Winter Days. But Spring and summer give Promise of More seasonal produce. It takes a Good fruit picker however to always return Home with a Basket Ful that meets expectations. There is nothing More disappointing than to sit Down to a tasteless breakfast Melon or a Glass of watery sour freshly squeezed Orange juice. You can t always come out a Winner when it comes to knowing what is inside nature s packaging but there Are some tips that can help. The selection of Cantaloupe can Challenge even the most experienced buyer. When it comes to picking out the Best no absolute formula exists but there Are some signs to look for in weeding out the worst. First of All the Stem should be gone leaving a smooth shallow Basin called a full  if All or part of the Stem base remains or if the Stem scar is jagged or torn the Melon is probably not fully matured. The netting or Vining should be thick coarse and Corky and should stand out in bold Relief Over part of the surface. The skin color Between the netting should have changed from Green to a Yellowish Buff Yellowish Gray or Pale yellow. A Ripe Cantaloupe will have a pleasant Cantaloupe odor and will yield slightly to Light thumb pressure on the Blossom end. Most cantaloupes Are quite firm when freshly displayed in retail stores. While some in the stores May be Ripe most have not yet reached their Best eating stage. Hold them for two to four Days at room temperature to allow completion of ripening. Avoid overripe fruit shown by a pronounced yellow Rind and soft watery insipid flesh. Small  will not affect the fruit but Large bruised areas should be avoided since they generally cause soft water soaked areas underneath the Rind. Mold growth particularly in the Stem scar is a sign of decay. On to Citrus fruits. Choose firm and heavy oranges with fresh Bright looking skin that is reasonably smooth. Avoid Light weight oranges which Are Likely to Lack flesh Content and juice. Very rough skin texture indicates abnormally thick skin and less flesh. Dull dry skin and spongy texture indicate aging and deteriorated eating Quality. Also avoid soft spots on the surface and weakened areas of skin around the Stem end or Button which indicate decay. Some oranges Are artificially coloured to improve the appearance. This practice has no effect on the eating Quality but . Artificially coloured fruits must be so Why not Check out those Street Side fruit and vegetable stands the Way european shoppers do. Is file photo labelled and generally the Rind cannot be used. Rus seting is often found in Florida and Texas oranges but not in those from California. This is a Tan Brown or blackish mottling Over the skin. It has no effect on the eating Quality and in fact often occurs on oranges with thin skin and Superior Quality. In Lemons look for a heavy fruit with a Rich yellow color and reasonably smooth textured skin with a slight gloss. A Pale or greenish yellow Means very fresh fruit with slightly higher acidity. Coarse or rough skin is a sign of thick skin and not much flesh. As with Lemons avoid Dull dry skin in limes. Purplish or Brownish irregular mottling of the outer skin surface is a condition called scald which in its Early stages does not damage the flesh of the Lime itself. Tangerines should be deep yellow or Orange and have a Bright Luster. Because of the typical Loose nature of the skin they will not feel firm to the touch. Decay spreads rapidly so avoid fruit with very soft spots. Very Pale yellow or greenish fruits Are Likely to be lacking in flavor. Picked tree Ripe Grapefruit is always ready to eat when you buy it. The fruit should be heavy for its size and firm and Well shaped. If a Grapefruit is pointed at the Stem end it is Likely to be thick skinned. Rough ridged or wrinkled skin also can be an indication of Pul piness and Lack of juice. Avoid fruit with discoloured areas at the Stem end loss of color and tender spots. In the months to come you May expect to see the following fruits in abundance apricots this fruit develops its flavor and sweetness on the tree and should be mature but firm at the time picked. Avoid Dull looking soft fruit and fruit with Pale yellow or greenish skin. Nectarines available from june through september they Combine the characteristics of both the peach and Plum. Look for Rich color and plumpness and a slight softening along the  most varieties have an Orange yellow color Between red areas but some have a greenish background color. Bright looking fruit that is moderately hard will Ripen within two or three Days at room temperature. Peaches avoid fruit that is very firm or hard with a Green color. It probably won t Ripen properly. The skin color Between the red areas should be yellow or at least creamy. Pears besides the Winter variety there is the Bartlett available from Early August through november. It should have a Pale to Rich yellow color. Pears will Ripen if kept at room temperature but it is Wise to select ones that have begun to soften. Cherries on the Market from May though August look for a very dark color As the most important indication of Good flavor and maturity in Sweet cherries. Bing Black tartarian Schmidt Chapman and Republican varieties should Range from deep Maroon or mahogany red to Black for richest flavor. Lambert should be dark red. Strawberries the berries should have a full red color Bright Luster and the Cap end should still be attached. Usually medium to Small berries have better eating Quality. Grapes european grapes Are firm fleshed and generally have High sugar Content. Look for Well coloured plump grapes firmly attached to the Stem. White or Green grapes Are sweetest when they have a Yellowish cast. Pineapples because they must be picked while still hard they must be allowed to Ripen. This normally takes a few Days at room temperature. Look for fragrant odor a very slight separation of the Eye or pips and spikes or leaves that can easily be removed. Bananas the stage of ripeness is indicated by the skin color. Best eating Quality has been reached when the fruit is solid yellow and speckled with Brown. Bananas Are sensitive to temperatures below 55 degrees f. For this reason they should never be kept in the refrigerator. The Ideal temperature for ripening is Between 60 and 70 degrees f. Higher temperatures cause them to Ripen to rapidly