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Honeydew
melon = honey dew
melon
These large, choice melons have
either green or orange flesh. As honeydews ripen,
they turn from green to creamy white to yellow.
Avoid green ones, but a creamy white one will
(unlike other melons) ripen on your counter in a few
days. A perfectly ripe honeydew will yield just a
bit to pressure at the blossom end and have a
sticky, velvety rind.
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Cantaloupe
= nutmeg melon =
muskmelon = netted melon = rockmelon
These are popular because they're
easy to select and very sweet. Ripe cantaloupes
have dull yellow backgrounds with raised netting.
Avoid those with protruding stems, or tears in the
rind at the stem end--it's a tell-tale sign that the
melon was picked too soon. When ripe melons are
picked, the stem falls off easily, leaving a small,
clean depression. After checking the stem end, flip
the melon over and check the blossom end. It should
be fragrant and yield a bit when pressed.
Cantaloupes are cheapest in the summer
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Watermelon
There are about 50 varieties of
watermelon on the market. They all taste about the
same, but they vary in size, flesh color, and in
whether they are seeded or seedless. The rind should
be heavy for its size, and free of bruises, soft
spots, or cuts. To check for ripeness, look at the
pale side of the melon (where it rested while it was
growing)--it should be yellow, not white. If your
market sells halved watermelons, inspect the
flesh--it should be firm, brightly colored, and free
of white streaks. Seeded watermelons should have
dark brown or black seeds. To store, wrap
watermelon slices loosely in plastic and refrigerate
for up to two days. Uncut watermelon can be stored
at room temperature (preferably in a cool spot) for
up to two weeks.
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Asian pear = apple
pear = Japanese pear = Chinese pear = Oriental pear
= sand pear = nashi = nashi pear = salad pear
Asian pears are crunchy, juicy, and
very fragrant. Growers produce over twenty
different varieties in an assortment of sizes and
colors. They're often served raw, but they can
also be cooked, though they never become as soft as
cooked pears.
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Loquat
= Japanese plum =
Japanese medlar 
These are popular in Asia, where
they're eaten raw and cooked into sauces that
accompany meat.
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Apples
Crisp, juicy apples are great in
lunchboxes, but they can also be made into pies and
tarts, pressed into cider, or baked with sugar and
spices. Select apples that are firm, deeply
colored, and of average size. Reject those that
have soft spots or broken skins. They're available
throughout the year, but they're usually better and
cheaper in the fall.
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Pears
It's
hard to improve on the flavor of a soft, juicy raw
pear, but combine it with blue cheese or prosciutto,
and you'll have something truly divine. You can
also bake or poach pears, or use them to make
tarts. They become soft and fragile when they're
ripe, so grocers want you to buy them while they're
still hard and then ripen them at home for a few
days. Putting them in a paper bag speeds up the
process. They're ready to eat when the base yields
slightly to pressure from your thumb.
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Grapes
= table grapes
Many varieties of grapes are turned
into wine, vinegar, jelly, and raisins, but table
grapes are for eating out of hand. They're
classified by their color--red, green, and blue--and
by whether they have seeds or not. Seedless
varieties are popular because they're easy to eat,
but often the seeded varieties offer more flavor and
better value.
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Strawberry 
Strawberries aren't as fragile as
other berries, so they don't need the special
handling that makes most berries so expensive. The
best time to buy them is in the spring, but you can
find them throughout the year, though the price
might be higher and the quality lower. Select
berries that have fully ripened to a dark red.
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