Seasonal Produce

Shopping for produce at a grocery store can be difficult and confusing. I was in search for my favorite apples, the honeycrisp apple, but they were no where to be found; it must not be in season. But this made no sense to me since I bought a bag full of them just a few weeks ago. I felt very empty by the lack of honeycrisp apples.

After the disappointment, I went to purchase a watermelon. At that point, I realized I had no clue how to pick out a good watermelon. And the first result after a Google search did not help much at all:

How to Pick a Watermelon
1. Pick It Up: Big or small, the watermelon should feel heavy for its size.
2. Look for the Yellow Spot: Watermelons develop a splotch where they rest on the ground. When this splotch is creamy yellow, it's ripe.
3. Give It a Thump: Tap the underbelly of the watermelon. A ripe one will have a deep hollow sound. Under-ripe or over-ripe melons will sound dull.
Source: http://www.thekitchn.com/the-best-way-to-pick-a-watermelon-172375

But this is just one example of how I lack the knowledge of picking produce properly. I choose to buy unripe bananas just so they last the entire week; they also change in taste and texture, making it interesting. How do you pick your produce? With the squeeze test? The number of bruises? The weight? Or just by the sound when you knock on it?

The honeycrisp debacle also prompted another thought. I never know when majority of the produce is in season locally. There is a year round inventory of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apples, kiwis, pineapples, and other various fruits but they can't possibly be in season (especially in the north). It's probably advantageous to know the seasonal produce to purchase those with the best taste. By the way, it is berry season!!!

Random thought: It seems like the water sprayers always turn on when I'm looking at vegetables...