I am old enough to remember when really ripe tasty fruit was quite common.
Not now. What has occurred? There are numerous factors involved.
As late as the 1940s most fruit was locally grown and were for the most part not picked until ripe or nearly so.
Today most fruits are grown on huge industrial farms which tend to be located far (California) from the store where one shops.
Thus the crop is picked when green. They ship well that way. That is what you get. The nectarines I bought were hard as a rock as were the pears, peaches, apples and many others.
Tomatoes became tasteless for another reason.
In the old days, a good tomato often did have a bit of green, especially near the stem.
The agriculturists ”engineered” tomatoes so that their was no green. They are beautifully red all over. But as a consequence they are tasteless.
Bananas are a special case.
Too long a time for most of you to recall, bananas were more creamy, well suited for banana splits for example.
This Gros Michel type of banana was wiped out by the Panama disease in the late 1950s. We have ever since been stuck with the current variety.
Is there anything one can do to improve the problem? Well, for one thing, buy locally when possible. Farmer ’s markets are a good bet if legitimate.
Thankfully some, but not all, fruits will ripen even after picking. The fruit should be left out in the open for some days or even weeks.
Unfortunately, the amount of time is difficult to determine since it is unknown how long it may have been in transit and the supermarket.
Here is a partial list of fruits that will ripen further: apples, apricots, cantaloupes, honeydew melons, peaches, nectarines, pears, pineapples and tomatoes.
Here is a partial list of fruits that will not ripen further: berries, cherries, grapes, peppers, and watermelons.
Theodore Theodorsen
Manhasset
