Fruit Guides

From citrus and apples to persimmons and marionberries, our fruit guides take a deep dive into produce big and small, offering some tips along the way.

Whole and cut up oranges against a white marble countertop.

I Asked a USDA Scientist How to Keep Oranges Fresh—Here's What They Said

Graphic of tomato leafs

Stop Throwing Away the One Ingredient That'll Make Your Tomato Sauces Even Tomato-ier

Overhead view of raspberry storage tests

We Tested 12 Methods of Storing Raspberries—Here’s What Kept Them Longest (and What Really Didn’t)

Blueberry experiments lined up on a counter.

How to Store Blueberries So They Last Longer

Overhead view of tamarind products

What Is Tamarind? A Comprehensive Guide to the Ingredient and How to Use It

Overhead view of melons

How to Pick a Perfectly Ripe Melon

Explore Fruit Guides

Peaches vs Necatrines

Peaches vs. Nectarines: What's the *Actual* Difference?

Bananas for Bananas

Image of Pluots

How to Use Pluots, the Seussian Summer Fruit Hybrid You're Completely Under-Utilizing

A series of bananas on a white background showing different stages of ripeness.

We Stored and Ripened Bunches and Bunches of Bananas—Here Are the Best Methods

Different types of melons

The Inside Scoop on Melons: Types, Varieties, and Tips for Serving

Collage of different banana types

A Guide to Banana Varieties Around the World

Graphic of blackberries and black raspberries

Black Raspberries vs. Blackberries: The Difference Between These Summer Fruits

Overhead view of cherries in a basket

How to Store Cherries So They Stay Fresh Longer

Three magazine covers depicting avocados done in a pulp sci-fi fashion

Avocado: The Origin Story

A bunch of peaches

The Foolproof Way to Ripen Peaches Every Time

Overhead view of a cut avocado

How to Ripen and Store Avocados

Overhead view of washing strawberries

How to Clean Strawberries So They Last Longer

Knife-cut and peeler-shredded green papaya on a cutting board

How to Shred Green Papaya for Som Tam Thai

Illustration of a hand holding a bitten-into peach

A Peach by Any Other Name Is Just as Gross: My Terrible Fear of Fruit

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Get to Know Soursop (a.k.a. Guanábana or Graviola)

Closeup of a cluster of marionberries ripening on the vine.

Marionberries: What They Are, How They’re Grown, and Why They’re So Prized

An overhead view of colorful citrus wheels of different sizes an shades of orange, yellow, green, red, and pink.

Know Your Citrus: A Field Guide to Oranges, Lemons, Limes, and Beyond

Red loganberries on a weathered tree stump

15 Lesser-Known Berries You Should Try

The Best Way to Prevent Cut Apples From Browning

Closeup of plum sorbet being scooped from a container.

The Science of the Best Sorbet

A pawpaw fruit cut in half and resting on a cutting board

Pawpaws: America's Best Secret Fruit

How to Macerate Fruit

An array of apples in various types and colors

A Guide to the Best Apples for Apple Pie

Jam Making 101: The Secrets to Getting Jam to Set Like a Pro

Opal apple close up

Have You Ever Tried an Opal Apple?

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How to Make a Fresh-Fruit Swirl for Ice Cream

A variety of persimmons, some cut and some whole, arranged in a grid on a stone surface

All About Persimmons and Persimmon Varieties

How to Cut Citrus Fruit Into Wedges, Slices, and Suprèmes | Knife Skills

four different styles of citrus juicers on a white surface

We Juiced Hundreds of Lemons and Limes to Find the Best Manual Citrus Juicers

How to Bake a Pie With Frozen Fruit

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How to Cut a Pineapple Like a Badass | Knife Skills Video

Quick-Ripen Bananas for Baking Using the Power of Enzymes

Vú Sữa: Vietnam's Milky Fruit

Cocktail 101: Selecting and Caring for Citrus

Mature Fruit

How Does Your Dragon Fruit Grow?

Spice Hunting: Chipotle

Hundreds of persimmons suspended on round drying racks, drying in the sun

Grocery Ninja: Dried Persimmons Are a Taste of Honeyed Sunshine

A bowl of tong sui

Snapshots from Asia: Tropical Fruit Feast; Tong Sui, Sea Coconut, and Toddy Palm Fruit

Perfect Apple Pie

The Food Lab's Top 9 Tips For Perfect Apple Pie

Cocktail Science: 8 Tips and Tricks For Getting the Most Out of Citrus

A Guide to Tropical Fruit in South America

Cider Apple Guide: Sharps, Sweets, and Sharp-Sweets

Cranberries

Hey Chef, What Can I Do With Cranberries?

Are Heirloom Tomatoes Always Worth The Price?

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10 Frozen-Fruit Recipes for a Taste of Summer Right Now

Grapes of the Amazon: Like the Mangosteen, But Way Better

Baking Guides: How to Select, Freeze, and Bake with Strawberries

Scott's Pizza Chronicles: San Marzano Fact vs Fiction

Preserved: What's the Deal With Fruit Butters?

Decorative platter of baked minced pies, with hand holding one pie close up

British Mince Pies

Whole Apple Slab Pie being placed on a plate. Tray is on a yellow gingham print tablecloth, with two cups of coffee, plates and gold forks

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5 Fruit Syrups Better Mocktails, Cocktails, and Desserts

Overhead view of strawberry compote

3-Ingredient Strawberry Compote

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How to Turn Your Favorite Fruit Into a Creamy, Refreshing Yogurt Pop

Overhead view of fruit tart

How to Make a Fresh Fruit Tart

Side view of banana pudding

Classic Banana Pudding