A summer guide to picking perfect produce
How to avoid the squashed berries and dried-up cantaloupe
By Janice Okun Buffalo NEWS FOOD EDITOR 

If you hear seeds rattling inside the cantaloupe when you shake it, it’s a promise of good eating. True or false? Surprisingly, the answer is false. 

A little rattle might be OK, proving that the melon is ripe. But if it sounds like a maraca – it’s over the hill. On the other hand, some ancient wisdom is dead on. 

It’s absolutely true, for instance, that the faster you can get corn from field to table the better the taste, says Kevin Komendat, Buffalo NY produce coordinator for Wegmans. That’s because the sugar in the corn changes to starch so quickly. 

But, if you can’t put a pot of boiling water on the stove and then run out to the field, there is something you can do, he says. Don’t husk the corn too soon – wait as long as you can before doing so to help protect the corn from the elements. 

Everyone has a theory about selecting the best fresh fruit and vegetables, it seems. Rick Wright, Tops produce marketing manager, says he’s always been amused at what customers do to help them make selections. They thump watermelons, press on the peaches, sniff berries, he says. And all this works – sometimes. 

Truth to tell, picking the best produce can be a crapshoot, no matter what you do. But with food prices so high, it’s important to even the odds as best you can, whether you’re at a farm stand or supermarket. 

So we compiled some favorite summer produce shopping tips in consultation with growers and buyers. Some things we learned were technical, like the advice of Tom Tower of Niagara County’s Tom Tower’s Farm to watch the “abscission layer.” That’s the end of the fruit, the part connected to the vine, which slowly changes in color after picking – from lime green to beige to dark brown. 

The color will tell you how long ago it was harvested. 

Some advice is a little more homey, like Tower’s tip that most quality produce “has a pleasant sheen to it. … That doesn’t mean waxed,” he hastens to add. But of course, you knew that, right? 

Did you also know that you can almost always ask for a sample taste of small fruits before you buy? 

It might be a good idea. 

Here is our guide to picking the best produce: 

Apples 

When: All year. Local fresh apples start at the end of July and go through the winter, when they are released from storage.

Look for: Good color and firmness. Avoid soft spots.

Little-known fact: There are more than 100 apple varieties grown in the United States and each one has a different taste and use. Generally speaking, flavor and texture improve as the season advances through November. 

Berries 

When: Local strawberries are winding up. Local raspberries (red, black, purple) come in July. So do blueberries. The season for most berries continues throughout the summer.

Look for: Firmness and appropriate color. Blueberries should be dark with a silvery bloom. For strawberries and raspberries, check to be sure there is no juice running through the bottom of the carton. In the words of Tony Weiss: “If you see some berries that look mushy on top, you can bet your bottom dollar that there are worse ones below them.”

Little-known fact: If a recipe calls for blackberries, it doesn’t refer to black raspberries. Blackberries (sometimes called “thimble berries”) are a separate genus that appear toward the end of summer. They are usually tart if you eat them, but they are great for baking. 

Cantaloupe 

When: Local melons (technically muskmelons) debut in August. 

Look for: What a professional calls the “slip” — that’s the end that leaves the vine. If all or a bit of the stem remains, or if the scar is jagged or torn, you don’t want it. Shaking to see if the seeds rattle doesn’t mean much. And neither does aroma. 

Little-known fact: Cantaloupe does not ripen once it is picked. If you put the melon on the counter in the hopes it will, the flesh will soften all right. But it will not taste any better. 

Cherries 

When: Local sweet cherries are available now. Tart cherries start a bit later. The local cherry season runs through July, but cherries from the western United States are available all summer. As a general rule, sweet cherries are for eating out of hand, tart are used in baking. 

Look for: Deep color in red cherries, although the very sweet local Queen Anne variety is pale yellow. (Queen Annes are usually used for Maraschinos.) Stems should be greenish. 

Little-known fact: If you’re shopping for local cherries, don’t ask for “Bing” — that variety comes from the West. We have our own equally wonderful cherries from Niagara and Chautauqua counties. 

Grapes 

When: Local grapes start coming to market in September through the fall; shipped-in grapes are available year-round. 

Look for: Firm, plum grapes with deep even color. Stems should be green and pliable, and grapes should be firmly attached. 

Little-known fact: Local grapes usually develop better, fuller flavor once they have been kissed by frost. No need to buy them too early. 

Peaches 

When: Local peaches come to market around the end of July and go through September. 

Look for: A yellow color. Tower says you should also look at the shape — peaches should be nicely rounded because what he calls “the final swell” happens just before picking. 

Little-known fact: Peaches do not ripen once they leave the tree. Buy carefully. 

Prunes and plums 

When: Local plums of various colors begin to appear in July and through August. Later come “prunes,” which are darker in color. 

Look for: Firm skin, slight softness under pressure. 

Little-known fact: Plums are usually eaten out of hand. Prunes with their deeper, duskier flavor are especially good for baking. 

Watermelon 

When: Local melons come in toward the end of summer. 

Look for: Buy a cut melon if you can because then you know what you are are getting, says Wegmans’ Komendat. If you are buying a whole melon, you’ll have better luck with medium to small ones rather than the giants. 

Little-known fact: A ripe, whole watermelon is one of the most difficult fruits to choose. Don’t buy a melon that has cracks in it or is asymmetrical. Egg-shaped melons often have dry spots. 

Corn 

When: Local corn comes to market July through September. 

Look for: If you pinch the end, you can feel if all the kernels there are filled out. That indicates ripeness. The silk should look fresh. 

If you want to check further, tear off a very narrow strip of husk — the more corn you expose to the air, the faster goes the sweetness. Irregular kernels, as long as they are plump, do not affect eating quality. 

Little-known fact: The most common locally grown corn has both yellow and white kernels. It used to be called “butter and eggs” or “sugar and cream,” but now it has a more boring name — “bi-color.” Still tastes terrific. 

Real corn lovers however, know the best-tasting corn of the year comes late in the season and is called “Silver Queen.” All its kernels are white in color. 

Peppers

When: End of July through the fall. 

Look for: Firmness and bright color. There are many, many colors and varieties. Weiss alone grows 10 varieties of hot peppers and 10 varieties of sweet peppers. Hot peppers come to market a little later. 

Little-known fact: Weiss points out that symmetry is important if you’re going to stuff the peppers. If you’re going to grind them up to make a relish or salsa, it’s no big deal. The taste is the same in either case. 

Cucumbers or pickles 

When: End of August. 

Look for: Firmness. If you’re going to process them further, these vegetables have to start off in top condition. As pickles age, they change in color from green to yellow. 

Little-known fact: Local cucumbers or pickles are not waxed. If you’re planning to process them, scrub well before using and be sure all blossoms are removed. 

Zucchini and squash 

When: Local squash comes in July through September. 

Look for: Small size. We’ll say it again — small size. Big summer squash belongs in a museum. 

Little-known fact: Both yellow squash and zucchini taste good when raw. In any case, be careful not to overcook. Peel and seeds are edible. 

Pears 

When: Local pears come to market from August through November. 

Look for: Firmness. Avoid pears that look shriveled and dull or have a slightly softened end near the stem. 

Little-known fact: Pears are picked green, but if you choose the ones that are just beginning to soften, they will ripen at room temperature. Spread them out at room temperature with space between them until the pears are soft to the touch. Then refrigerate.

jokun@buffnews.com