My family's culinary preferences change as often as the weather forecast. Sometimes you can't pull them away from apples by the ears and two kilograms are eaten in a day. By inertia, I continue to buy apples in large quantities and miss the moment when the passion for them passes. As a result, the apartment is literally littered with apples and, of course, they begin to deteriorate gradually. Yes, of course, I can make apple charlotte, strudel and bake apples with honey or caramel. But ... firstly, not everyone has time for culinary delights, and secondly, not everyone has the culinary skills necessary for this. In the end, apple dishes can just get boring. How to store apples, pears, grapes, persimmons, etc. so that they retain their freshness longer and do not spoil?

What do we usually do when we bring fruit from the market or store? We either put them in the refrigerator right away or leave them in a bowl in the kitchen. None of these options is correct. Each fruit has its own rules.

Apples. Apples cease to ripen immediately after they are plucked. Therefore, despite the fact that they retain a fresh and appetizing appearance for a long time, try to buy freshly picked apples and store them in the refrigerator in the coolest place.

Pears. Pears almost always fall short. Therefore, when buying, it is better to choose hard fruits — they will be stored longer. They can be stored at room temperature in a plate in the kitchen or in the room. When the pear ripens, its aroma will increase and it will become softer to the touch.

But since winter is on the nose and very soon there will be no freshly picked apples and pears, with the exception of winter varieties that are harvested in October-November, try to choose fruits that look at least fresher.

Avocado. Avocados, unlike apples, continue to ripen after they have been plucked. It is necessary to store the fruits in a cool (but not cold) place — a kitchen cabinet in the kitchen not next to the oven, a cabinet on a glazed balcony or in the garage before the onset of cold weather. That is, it is better to buy a solid avocado in the store and leave it to ripen in a cool place at home. As soon as the fruit ripens, you can put it in the refrigerator, but store it for only a few days.

Fresh figs. Now the stalls in the markets and shops are littered with exotic fruits. Among them there are fresh figs, which become exotic already in September (in Crimea, you can buy local figs in July-August). Figs cease to ripen immediately after they have been plucked. Plucked fresh figs become quite tender and it is easy to damage them. If you want to store figs for several days, you can leave them in the kitchen in a bowl. If you want to store it a little longer, put it in the refrigerator and make sure that the fruits are in one layer, not a slide (thrown into a bag, packed tightly and left). Otherwise, they will start to leak and deteriorate.

Grape. Grapes are best stored in a paper bag or in a plastic box with perforation. In the refrigerator, depending on its degree of maturity, it can be stored from one to two weeks.

Kiwi. Kiwis, like avocados, continue to ripen after they have been plucked. Since we can only buy imported fruits, they are almost always hard (and terribly sour). This means that if you put the purchased green kiwis in the kitchen in a bowl, they will ripen to the desired state. Ripe kiwis can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks!

Persimmon and «Kinglet » (oriental varieties of persimmon). It is usually difficult to find persimmons in our markets that have reached optimal maturity. It's either green, or it's already completely falling apart. In its green form, it is practically inedible. Therefore, when buying green persimmons, leave them in the kitchen in a maturation dish (until they become soft). It is better to eat the ripened persimmon in the near future. Ripe persimmons can be stored in the refrigerator for only a few days. The kinglet also continues to mature after it has been plucked. But unlike persimmons, it is quite possible to eat it in an immature state. Usually, even when ripe, it is firm to the touch.

Pomegranate. Pomegranates do not ripen after harvesting, so when buying, try to choose ripe and sweet. It should be stored in a dark place (preferably in a paper bag in the refrigerator).

Quince. Quince breaks off in an untimely form, therefore, in order for it to reach the desired condition, it must be stored at room temperature until it turns yellow. When the quince is ripe, it can be stored in the refrigerator. Since it is almost never eaten raw, the texture is not so important.

Upd. Our reader, Umar Nurullin, sent us a whole note on the topic of quince. And to be more precise, about how it is eaten raw.

«Quince is mainly eaten raw. Do not forget that quince on Russian shelves does not have that wonderful juicy and sweet taste that is inherent in quince grown, for example, in Uzbekistan. This is an amazing fruit, reaching large sizes, having a delicious taste and a fascinating aroma. Therefore, it was very strange to read that quince is not eaten raw. That's not so. Quince is eaten both raw and baked in the oven, and cooked with pilaf, and delicious and healthy compotes, syrups, jam are made from it… A universal fruit that is combined with any kind of meat, poultry, fruit… Please correct the data on the use of quince in raw form.»

So if you have the opportunity to try the right quince — don't miss your chance :) On my own behalf, I can add that I once ate persimmons brought from Tajikistan. And in comparison with it, what is sold here simply has no right to be called a persimmon. As, however, and melons.