In this episode learn what fruit you should be looking out for in the grocery store or farmers market during the month of October. Apple harvest is still underway and the best apples for pies are coming your way. Grapes are still going strong but it's time or peaches swan song.
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I got start with apples this month. If you haven't been to an apple orchard yet and you got one within driving distance I highly recommend you head out there. What I love about apples in October as the best ones for storing long term are harvested and the best apples for making a pie. The old standby the Granny Smith will work just fine but there are so many amazing pie apples I have been able to search out over the years, varieties like
- Rhode Island Greening
- Twenty Ounce
- Northern Spy
- Ida Red
Any of these shouldn't be passed up if you can get yours hand on them. All of your apple baked goods will be better with these apples.
I will be back next month with apples that are great to find in the grocery store, but right now it's all about local if you got a source.
My favorite grapes from Grapery are still in stores this month. But don't wait too much longer to get your Cotton Candy, Moon Drops, and Gum Drops grapes. If you have a Kroger store near you I have seen some sales this year, so check their weekly ads, you might get lucky and score some delicious grapes at a savings.
Pears are great this time of year too. The most popular pear, the Bartlett is in season right now and don't get any better. Grocery stores have not had many new varieties of pears in recent years like we have seen with apples. If you want to explore some different types of pears you will have to seek them out at a farmers market or orchard. All of the best tasting pears I have gotten have been at those places.
We got some other fruits coming into season this month. Let's start with Pomegranates. You should be setting them show up any time now in your grocery store. Pomegranates are ready to eat the moment you bring them home from the store. When choosing one, try to pick fruit that is very round, not wrinkly and feels heavy in the palm of your hand.
The other fruit you will be seeing soon as we get closer to Thanksgiving are fresh cranberries. They are usually the last berry that is harvested in a year. I was lucky enough to visit a farm once in Michigan where I could see the fields flooded and the berries floating just like in the Ocean Spray commercials. It was really fun to see all that red in the water surrounded by the fall leaves on the trees.
Whether you call it a Puh Meh Low or a Palm Meh Low, this grapefruit like fruit is coming straight out of Florida from my friends at Noble Citrus. The Florida Starburst variety is much sweeter than a grapefruit. You won't need to add any sugar to this fruit. They had a tough go of it down in Florida last year with Hurricane Ian, but this year's crop is looking great, so if you are a grapefruit don't skip out on trying these.
Lastly I want to said goodbye to peaches. The last ones are finishing up this month. This last in the year, I recommend buying from a local source if they still have any fruit. And if you can find them in stores, I always have a good experience with peaches from Idaho. My last peach each year is usually an Idaho grown one.
🛒 Before You Checkout
I said at the top October is a great time for buying a ton of apples to last you a while. But they won't last as long if you just leave them out on the counter. Put your apples into the fridge and those good storing ones will last you quite a while. People use to store their apples for months in a root cellar. Most of us don't have those anymore so the fridge is going to be your best option.
Also research what variety you are buying because some actually will taste better when they are stored for a couple months.
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