How to pick the tastiest fruit!

It's the most wonderful time of the year! No, not Christmas. Strawberry season! Since I was a kid, I have loved the crimson red, heart shaped beauties. Part of that adoration was knowing that berries were only around in late spring and summer. Growing up in the 70's, we didn't have fruit available year-round like we do now. And maybe that was a good thing? I believe in following the seasons for best variety, price and taste on produce.My mother taught me that you eat with your eyes and nose, first. With berries, look for deep red color with slightly firm flesh. They should not be pale red, orange, white or green (except for the leaves, of course). Berries should smell fragrant and fruity, or they'll have no taste. They'll keep on your kitchen counter for 1-2 days tops, so clean and eat them relatively soon after purchase or you'll have moldy berries on your hands.Blueberries are another favorite. They should be plump (about the size of a penny) and firm and not wrinkled or mushy. Like strawberries, they will have a fragrant smell. Blueberries tend to keep a few days longer than strawberries (3-4 after purchase), but can also be frozen and used later in yogurt, oatmeal or smoothies.To find a good cantaloupe, melons will be heavy and smell floral and a little musky. You should be able to push slightly on the "naval area" when the fruit is ripe and read to cut. Melons are starting to turn when they have dents or dips in the outer rind or mold is forming around the naval area.Thank God bananas are available ALL the time and pretty easy to spot. Everyone's definition of a perfect banana is different! I would avoid the uber green ones that may never ripen (or worse- go from green to brown with no yellow in between). My personal favorite will be uniformly yellow with no sign of spots. The spottier and more brown the banana peel, the sweeter the banana will be (and higher its sugar content).Never fear the banana! Despite the ridiculous ads that lump bananas into the "5 foods you should never eat" category, don't believe the BS. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, vitamin B6 and pre-biotics- they type of fiber that feeds the pro-biotic 'good' bacteria in your gut. Nutrigirl says "go bananas" with seasonal fruit!