How to Pick an Apple

Apples are the all-American fruit, as integral to our childhood diets as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and macaroni and cheese. Sliced, baked or eaten whole, a crisp, fresh apple is the starting point for a great snack or a yummy dessert. All too often, though, apples you find in the grocery store are mushy and lack that quintessential apple taste.

Things You'll Need

• Grocery store or farmers market

Instructions

1. Pick up the apple and judge its weight. A juicy apple should feel heavy for its size.

2. Look at the apple's skin. Depending on the variety of apple, skin color varies widely, but whatever color it is should be luminous and consistent.

3. Examine the skin for soft spots or bruises, which will make the apple rot faster and often indicate a mushy apple.

4. Squeeze the apple gently. A crisp apple should not give.

5. Try to avoid apples that are too shiny, since it usually means they are covered in wax. This technique is used by grocery stores to make apples more appealing, but it can be a cover for imperfections.

6. Smell the apple. It should have a sweet, apple-scented aroma.

Tips & Warnings

• If possible, taste the apples before you buy them by sampling a slice.

• Choose the right apple for your purpose. Apple varieties like Granny Smith and McIntosh are good for baking, while Honeycrisp and Gala apples are great for eating raw.