Are you ready?  I am.. It's been awhile since I have been in the kitchen but I am ready to start blogging again.. Put on your apron and scoot up to the counter..jot down some notes.... I have some tips to share.

Lets talk about a Melons and Pineapples ..  "How to choose one " *  from Cuisine test Kitchen*

There are a few techniques for testing the quality of a melon that wont get you kicked out of the market. " Smell, shake, squeeze and tap it." A melon should smell appetizing and fruity never moldy. When shaken  you should hear loose seeds, but not the entire contents sloshing around. If squeezed , the ends should  feel tender not wet and  mushy, When Tapped the melon should sound hollow. Look for symmetrically shaped melons that feel heavy for their size and are evenly colored. Pronounced yellowing is a sign of over ripeness. If you find yourself with an unripe melon, keep it at room temperature until it looks  ans smells ripe. Once its ripe , refrigerate the melon until ready to
use. It will last up to one week.

How about that  pineapple?      
The best way to select a good pineapple is by color, smell and firmness. Pulling out the top inside  leaf will not give you an accurate test. (yeah, I know what your were told, but that's not true.)

A ripe pineapple will be firm, heavy, and have a golden color and smell sweet. If it's
soft and smells fermented DO NOT BUY IT it is over  ripe.

You can buy green pineapple and  let it ripen at home, but look the base first.
If its a little orange or red it will ripen. If its all green  it was picked too soon, and will have a woody texture and never get very sweet. A little secret about ripening  a pineapple.... Stand it upside down on the counter.  This lets the sugar in the bottom end flow toward the leafy end. It will ripen evenly and wont ferment at the bottom. When the pineapple has a golden color and strong sweet aroma, the fruit is ready to eat.  There you have a couple tips.. Now go visit your fruit department...
Enjoy!   See you next time...
Now your'e cookin!