Creative Cooking 1FRUITS

Nutritionally

• Fruits are High in Vitamins

• Low in Fat• Fruits should be

washed in cold running water (fruit retains most nutrients)

Vitamins• Best sources of

Vitamin C are Citrus Fruits

(need about 75mg/day) • (oranges 1 c. =

97.5mg)• Strawberries are

high as well (1 c. = 89.4mg)

Fruits High in Vitamin A

• Bright yellow fruits

• Cantaloupes

• Apricots

Fruit can be purchased

• Fresh – nutritionally best

• Frozen

• Dried

• Canned – nutritionally worst, lose nutrients to water pack.

Qualities of Purchased fruit

• Ripe fruit – ready to eat, peak color, peak taste, aromatic

• Under ripe – full sized but not peak quality, will ripen

• Immature – small, poor color, flavor & texture will not improve

Fruits are Classified

• By Physical Characteristics

• Where They Are Grown

Berries

Berries

•Thin skinned

•Grown in clusters

•Delicate

•Juicy

•Contain tiny edible seeds

• Strawberries

• Blueberries

• Raspberries

• Cranberries

Grapes are also berries, why?

Berry Selection:

• Correct color to start (will not ripen with time)

• No mold• Not dimpled or shriveled (due to

moisture loss)• Grapes should not fall off of

stem

Special handling

• Do not wash berries until ready to use

• Grapes are berries that will sweeten with age

Drupes

• Fleshy fruit

• Single pit center

Drupes include:Peaches

Apricots

Nectarines

Another Drupe

Another Drupe???

Drupe Selection

• Should not have bruises

• Yield slightly to pressure

• Will ripen faster when kept in brown paper bag

• Do not buy too hard – may not ripen

Pomes

• Fruit that has several seeds

Such as:

Pomes

Pomes selection

• Select ones without bruises

• Apples should be purchased when firm, and at peak quality

• Pears yield slightly to pressure (can ripen in brown bag)

Citrus

Citrus fruits

• Are segmented

• Thick outer skin

• Thin membrane separating segments

Citrus fruits include

Variations of oranges

• Tangerines• Tangelos (grapefruit, orange, & tangerine Crossbreed)

• Navel

• Valencia• Clementines (seedless Mandarin)

Citrus Fruit Selection

• Free from bruises

• Should not be soft or shriveled

Melons

Melons

• Are large

• Juicy

• Contain many seed

• Have thick skins

Melons:

Melon selection

• Dry stem• Aromatic at stem end• Hollow melon sound when

thumped• Shake – if you can hear seeds

moving inside melon is ripe (not on watermelon)

Tropical

• Grown in hot climate

• Considered exotic

• Characteristics

vary with fruit

Tropical fruits

A different tropical, not so unusual, could it also be another category?

Tropical fruits:

• Pomegranate (when are these in season? What does “in season” mean?)

• Kiwi• Pineapple• Bananas• Mango• Papaya• Star fruit

Bananas

Ninos

Plantains

Bananas selection

• Should be free from bruises

• Will ripen at room temp

• Refrigeration slows ripening

• Will turn peel black if refrigerated

Canned Fruits

• Last a very long time• When packed in own juices are

lower in calories (less sugar) vs. simple syrup

• Are available in off season• May not have same texture as

fresh fruit

Choose cans

• Free from dents

• Bulges

• Leaks

Frozen Fruit

• Fruits are available in the off season

• Loses texture when thawed

• Can be refrozen but loses quality

• Buy packages without frost and with loose pieces of fruit (not in block)

Fruited Danish Braid