One of the reasons why Italians eat so well is that every last one of them believes it is their fundamental right to walk out of the market with the very best ingredients. They won’t settle for a wrinkled eggplant, a withering artichoke, or an apple that tastes like Styrofoam. And neither should you. Problem is, finding the best, ripest, most jaw-droppingly tasty fruits and vegetables isn’t as intuitive as you might think. It’s a task that requires the attention of all five senses in order to pick up on the ultimate ripeness and utmost quality.
Regardless of what you’re shopping for, start with these three rules.
1. Beautiful doesn’t mean delicious. Sub-par conventional produce is bred to look waxy, glistening, and perfectly symmetrical, while prime fruits and vegetables are often irregularly shaped, with slight visual imperfections outside but a world of flavor waiting inside.
2. Use your hands. You can learn more about a fruit or vegetable from picking it up than you can from staring it down. Heavy, sturdy fruits and vegetables with taut skin and peels are telltale signs of freshness.
3. Shop with the seasons. Sure, sometimes you just need a tomato, but there are three persuasive reasons to shop in season: It’s cheaper, it’s better, and it’s better for you.
Choose wisely and you’ll bring home the best fruits and vegetables every time, just like an Italian grandma.
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