|
Rocky Ford melons. Olathe sweet corn. Pueblo peppers. Western Slope peaches, pears
and nectarines. No doubt about it, Colorado boasts some of the very best produce around. The
peak time for most locally grown produce is late July and early August.
Enjoy this Colorado bounty now, while it is plentiful and at its peak. Eating a variety of
fresh fruits and vegetables every day is also one of the best ways to get the vitamins and minerals
you need, along with the antioxidants, enzymes and other disease fighting phytochemicals.
An advantage of local produce is that it's picked and delivered to markets near its peak for
ripeness and flavor potential. Fruits and vegetables that come from out of state (like early-season
California peaches) generally are picked early in their ripening cycle and never develop their full
flavor.
When selecting peaches, look for a soft, creamy-to-gold undercolor. If you're planning to
eat the peaches right away, select fruit that has begun to soften and smells "peachy." Don't
squeeze peaches when checking for firmness. They bruise easily and decay rapidly. Firm-ripe
peaches may be kept at room temperature for a few days to fully ripen. Refrigerate fully ripe peaches until ready to use. Don't purchase green or shriveled peaches -- they won't ripen
properly.
Pears are ripe when they yield to gentle thumb pressure at the neck. Honeydew and
cantaloupe are ripe when the ends of the melon yield slightly to pressure and they have a
distinctly sweet fragrance. Ripe cantaloupe is uniformly flesh-colored on the outside, with little
or no green. Honeydew has a velvety feel and a yellowish white to creamy rind. If the stem is still
attached, the melon was picked before it was ripe. This is true for peaches, oranges and
nectarines, too. Melons can be stored for several days in a cool place away from sunlight.
For greater variety of color in your fruit and vegetable selections, try eggplant, red
cabbage, raspberries, cherries and blueberries. Their beautiful red, blue and purple colors come
from a pigment called anthocyanin, a potent antioxidant. These fruits and vegetables can be
stored in the crisper drawer of your fridge for several days.
For safety's sake, wash all produce with cool running water before eating. Some produce,
such as apples and cherries, can be washed before storing in the refrigerator. Others, such as leafy
greens, maintain their crispness best if washed just before serving.
For more information, contact your local
Colorado State University Extension office.
|
