This is a follow up to my AIBU thread where I learned some new interesting ways to pick good produce and food when shopping.
I learned on the other thread that giving apples a gentle shake and hearing pips rattle inside can be a good sign they are ripe and that if a pineapple's leaf pulls from the top easily it is ripe.
With the cost of living soaring, getting the best produce for your money is more important than ever.
What food picking tips and tricks have you to share?
My top tips are:
My OH is a chef and after I showed my ignorance on the leaf pulling I got a lecture on pineapple selecting. Sniff the bottom of a pineapple, it should smell sweet and fruity. Give the pineapple a squeeze, it should have a very small amount of give but not be soft or rock hard. Never buy a pineapple that is green or which has a green bottom. If your pineapple is a little under ripe then stand it on its leafy crown to encourage sugars from base to move down, place with other ripening fruit and in a paper bag in order to encourage starch to convert to sugar by exposing to ethylene vapor given off by other fruits (This is too sciency for me, I have no clue what that is about, but am nodding to my OH's instructions.)
The sniff test. Smell where the stem would be on soft fruits like tomatoes and strawberries. If it smells of nothing it will taste of nothing. You want it to smell how it should taste, faint sweetness, sometimes an earthy scent.
Melons get a knock or a gentle slap. Looking for a hollow sound to know they are ripe. Pushing gently with thumb on crown of the melon too should have a little give if it is ripe. Also, the sniff test works here too on the crown.
Carrots should not feel floppy and aim for thin long ones as these are likely sweeter because they have had more growing time.
Potatoes should feel firm when given a gentle squeeze. If they have give and feel a bit rubbery or spongey then avoid.
Celery should feel rigid when you buy it. Look for bright green leaves. Any sign of spots, yellow tinges or browning then avoid.
Red meat should be a dull red colour. Red meat that is a very vibrate red is way too fresh and will be tough or have a less well developed flavour. Marbling is your friend. Pick red meat that has flecks of white fat inside the meat rather than a large rind or veins of fat. Give red meat a poke. If it bounces back too quickly or feels tough then it's of inferior quality. If when you poke red meat the fibers spread and it has thready texture then it will be tough. And yes, I do go around poking pre packaged meat.
Fish should never smell 'fishy.' If it is fresh then it should have almost no smell but for a vaguely briney scent. If buying pre packed fresh fish then it should feel a little firm to the poke test.
Give chicken a poke. Some chicken is water treated. That is, placed in water baths to absorb more water and falsely inflate the chicken's weight. If chicken (pieces, cuts or whole) oozes when you poke it then avoid it. If buying whole chicken, wings or thighs, apply gentle pressure to the bones, if they bend or feel rubbery then the chicken was way too young when slaughtered and the meat will be immature, less dense and likely higher in fat rather than protein.
Pork cuts are the same for water treatment if from dubious suppliers. Give them a poke to check for oozing indicating excessive water treatment.
So, what are your tricks to buying good produce?