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10/29/2010

eat your fruit: part 3 (storing)

Earlier, I posted about shopping and choosing produce here and here
  • Most produce is best kept at room temp.  Tomatoes are especially good on the counter.  For some reason, the fridge sucks the flavor out of fruit to me!  Bananas, asian pears (their season is almost done), pears and persimmons are currently in my counter bowl.  But if it is between you eating the item and the fruit flies, I vote against the fruit flies! Toss in the fridge so it will last a little longer.    
  •  I keep items like grapes, cherries, carrots (generally produce with a very thin skin) in the fridge. If you do refrigerate, keep items in the crisper or in individual pretty bowls for easy, healthy snacking.  Last season's figs in my fridge (instead of figs, I have grapes right now but they don't photograph as well half eaten)....
  • When you come home, resist the urge to wash everything!  I think that is a common misconception.  Wash only when you are ready to eat.  Everything tends to last longer this way.... 
  • I keep hearing that herbs are best kept in a glass with water, leaves exposed but that has never worked for me!  They wilt very easily that way.  Instead, I wrap them in a damp paper towel and put in a zip lock plastic bag (yes, I reuse the plastic bags).  
When good fruit (or veggie) goes bad - a couple uses before tossing:
-Cut up fruit, place in a zip lock plastic bag and put in the freezer for smoothies

-Make a fruit sauce - chopped fruit, sugar, lemon juice.  Simmer and store in a jam jar (great over ice cream or yogurt)

-Make a "garbage" salad.  Toss everything in -sometimes even the weird combinations turn out pretty good!

-Make pesto.  There are lots of different kinds of pesto (artichoke, spinach, etc.)  Also a great way to use up fresh herbs that won't make it.  Pesto can be frozen in an ice cube tray in the freezer or in the fridge in a jam jar.

- Whip up a frittata or quiche.  A couple random veggies sauteed together, add eggs and you can have breakfast or lunch for a few days.

-Bake banana bread.  This is my fave use for spoiled bananas.  They are easier to work with anyway (recipe to come as I just had this happen!)


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