There is nothing better than the sweet bite of fresh, in-season fruit. But of course, all good things must come to an end. With such short seasons, how does one hang onto the freshness of seasonal fruit all year long?
Each type of fruit needs its own special care, just as people do! Here are tips on how to find the best of 10 favorite fruits, alongside a recipe to preserve them to enjoy for months.
1. Frozen fresh raspberriesWhen choosing raspberries, reach for dry, bright red berries. Unlike most fruit, raspberries don't ripen once they're picked, which means they only have a few days of peak deliciousness. To ensure their freshness lasts as long as you want to enjoy them, there are tricks to freezing this fruity treasure. Lay berries on a cookie sheet and place them in the freezer until frozen. By freezing them laid flat, they freeze as just as you plucked them off the vine. Once frozen, you can then toss them in an airtight container for up to a year.
2. Apple butterThe perfect apple will be naturally shiny, firm, bruise-free and rather heavy for its size. Dozens of delicious apple recipes exist, but few will hold up for months. Apple butter is a tasty spread that makes almost anything taste a little bit sweeter. With just apples, apple cider, sugar, lemon and desired spices, you can whip up a batch of apple butter in a slow cooker with this
apple butter recipe. Divvy up the butter into small containers for freezing and voila, apple butter for months.
3. Dried cherriesThe tastiest cherries will be shiny, plump and of a darker shade. Reach for berries with stems intact. Once you've cleared the market of the best cherries, head home to try making a healthier version of Craisins. The best part is cranberries can be dried in the oven (no expensive dehydrator needed). Preheat the oven to 130 to 160 degrees Farenheit, carefully space the berries on a baking sheet and allow them too cook for about seven hours. If placed in airtight containers, these delicious snacks can keep for months.
4. Blackberry jam Finding the most flavorful blackberries involves seeking out the deepest purple or black plump fruit. It's difficult for any blackberries to make it past the car ride home, but if some manage to make it to the kitchen, a blackberry jam is a wonderful way to preserve those flavors. A classic, thick blackberry jam just like grandma used to make is a crowd pleaser, much like
Food Network's blackberry jam recipe. With just three ingredients, blackberry jam will last in the refrigerator for a few weeks.
5. Strawberry sorbetSpotting the best strawberries is fairly simple. Keep your eyes peeled for shiny, bright red berries with fresh green tops. If purchasing a carton of strawberries, check the bottom to make sure there aren't any hidden subpar berries. Keep this summer flavor in the freezer all year long (if it lasts more than the week) with Eat Healthy Eat Happy's
easy 2- ingredient strawberry sorbet. Who knew it was so easy?
6. Banana chipsBananas ripen so quickly that it's easy to miss their peak days. Avoid any fruits that are bruised or split, and try picking bananas that are slightly green to allow some days for them to ripen at home. For a healthier alternative to potato chips, preserve bananas with Momables'
oven baked banana chips. They are most certainly child approved.
7. Pickled peaches Look for deeply colored peaches that are slightly soft. Avoid anything green as well as peaches that are too firm or too soft; it is all about that middle ground. With perfect peaches, give pickling a try. The tangy sweet taste of pickled peaches is a delicious topping for anything from ice cream to pork chops. With Saveur's
pickled peaches recipe, the family can preserve summer fruit well into autumn.
8. Orange marmaladeWhen picking through oranges at the market, grab heavy ones with firm skins. What's a better way to preserve those zesty flavors than with a classic orange marmalade? With just oranges, water and sugar, magic can happen in the kitchen in merely 25 minutes. This
orange marmalade recipe couldn't be easier and won't make anyone say goodbye to oranges at the end of their season.
9. Mango chutneyMangoes are rather finicky, but when the perfectly ripe one finds its way onto the kitchen counter, you'll be happy you took your time picking one out. Look for yellow and orange shades that are rather soft to the touch, similar to a ripe avocado. The potent fragrance of a juicy mango is another dead giveaway. The scent of a tasty mango should immediately fill the room. Mangoes are amazing on their own, but in a chutney the flavors multiply. Try the Wanderlust Kitchen's
mango chutney recipe to amp up your next meal. If it was too difficult to leave mangoes behind, make a large batch and freeze some for later.
10. Watermelon shrub syrupWatermelons practically define summer, but unfortunately, they don't stick around until fall. When searching for a perfect watermelon, try tapping the side of the fruit. By tapping the side of a watermelon, a deep hollow sound will tell you that it is perfectly ripe. Once you have this ideal fruit, preserve it with a syrup for cocktails or desserts. Give Domestically Blissful's super simple
watermelon syrup a try. Throw in some additional flavors such as mint or ginger.
