Washing your fruit is recommended for many reasons. Dirt or bugs may be on the outside or in commercially produced fruit pesticide residue may be present. There are times when you should wait until immediately before you serve the fruit to wash.
Cherries, both Bing and Rainier, blackberries, raspberries both red and black, cranberries, strawberries, blueberries and huckleberries should all be stored in a clean container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. When you are ready to cook with or serve the fruit place the cherries or berries in a colander and gently run them under cool water.
For fruit such as apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, and plums wash these up as soon as you bring them home from the market. This way they will be ready for your family to enjoy at a moments notice.
There are different schools of thought on what to do with pealed fruit. Bananas, oranges, and melon all have an outer peel that is not eaten. However if dirt or pesticides reside on the outside of skin when you slice into the fruit the knife will carry the possible contaminants directly into the flesh of the fruit. To be extra safe wash these fruits when you bring them home along with your apples and pears
About the Author
Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet meal plans. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. http://www.gourmayeats.com
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