Foods, their selection and preparation

balance between supply and demand. Fruit in season is the best in quality and usually the best buy. The available supply of shipped-in fruit is an important factor in determining price. Information as to the prevailing prices can be found in the daily newspapers and is broadcast by some radio stations along with suggestions as to the best buys for the day orr the week. fruits. They crush easily and so should have a minimum of handling. For this reason they should be stored in the small boxes in which they are purchased. These containers are well ventilated and so help to retard the growth of mold. Fruits are most nutritious when served raw; and most fruits are more palatable raw than cooked. There is a flavor in fresh fruit never found in the cooked product. The compounds contributing flavor are volatile and unstable. They tend to volatilize and break down during cooking. Raw Fruits. Fruits served raw should be ripe and chilled. They may be served as juice, or whole, halved, quartered, or sliced, with or without sugar, alone or mixed in a fruit cup. So served, fruit is a most accept¬ able first course for any meal or it may be used as a dessert. Fruit juices are the favorite form of breakfast fruit, probably because in most cases they are quickly prepared and consumed. A little salt brings out the flavor of fruit. Lemon juice is a desirable addition to bananas and certain melons, and adds vitamins as well as flavor. Whole fruit passed in a bowl is a very satisfactory dessert, especially for a lowcalorie meal, and frequently is served with an accompaniment of cheese. Sliced fruits for dessert are served alone, with sugar, with sugar and cream, as a shortcake, or with ice cream. These various methods of service furnish an opportunity to vary the caloric content of a meal. Some fruits, such as peaches and bananas, darken when the cut surface is exposed to air. For this reason they should be sliced just be¬ fore serving. In most fruits darkening can be prevented by wetting the cut surfaces with diluted lemon juice. Raw fruits are especially appropriate in salads. [53] Cooking of Fruit. Some underripe fruits or fruits with firm texture and carbohydrate in the form of starch require cooking to soften the cellulose structure and cook the starch. Heating, which inactivates the en¬ zymes in fruit and at the same time destroys any microorganisms present, is important in the preservation of fresh fruit for later use. Softening Cellulose. Cellulose is softened by moist heat. The presence of added sugar prevents softening and toughens and firms the cellulose structure. When a smooth sauce or tender pieces are desired, the fruit should be cooked to tenderness before the sugar is added. On the other hand, when the aim is to preserve the shape of the fruit, sugar is added at the beginning of the cook¬ ing. The amount of sugar should be just enough to sweeten and not enough to mask the distinctive fruit flavor. [illustration: Picking Over Blueberries • Berries must be handled carefully. Pick over and store in original container. Wash just before using] Cooking Starch. Underripe apples and bananas and plantains or cooking bananas al¬ ways contain some starch. Slow cooking changes this starch to sugar and improves the flavor as well as the ease with which starchcontaining fruits are digested.