FRUITS

FRUITS

Fruits are pulpy in character, often juicy and generally developed from flowers of plants and consist of a ripened seeds or seeds with some edible tissues attached

TYPE OF FRUIT	MAIN CHARACTERISTICS	EXAMPLE	USES
STONED FRUITS	THESE HAVE GOT A SINGLE PROMINENT SEED PRESENT IN THE MIDDLE	APRICOTS, CHERRIES,PEACHES,PLUMS etc.	USED IN JAMS, PIES, PUDDINGS AND SWEET DISHES.
HARD FRUITS	THESE HAVE GOT HARD LAYER OF FIBERS AND GENERALLY FIRM WHEN TOUCHED	APPLES, PEARS etc.	USED IN PASTRIES, APPLES ARE USED FOR GARNISHING MEAT DISHES, SALADS, SAUCES etc. WALDORF SALAD, APPLE SAUCE IS SERVED WITH ROAST MEAT etc.
SOFT FRUITS	THESE HAVE GOT SOFT LAYERS OF FIBERS AND SHOULD BE HANDLED VERY CAREFULLY	BLACK AND RED CURRANT BERRIES etc.	GENERALLY STEWED AND ARE USED IN PIES AND PUDDINGS. ALSO USED FOR JAMS AND AS FLAVORINGS.
CITRUS FRUITS	THESE ARE THE FRUITS WHICH HAVE GOT ACIDS PRESENT IN THEM	LEMONS, LIMES, ORANGES etc.	THEY ARE NOT COOKED USUALLY BUT ARE GENERALLY USED FOR FLAVORING AND GARNISHING PURPOSES. THEY ARE USED TO PREPARE FRUIT SALAD.
TROPICAL FRUITS	THESE GENERALLY GROWN N HOT REGIONS WHERE THE TEMPERATURES MIGHT SORE UPTO 50*C	GUAVAS, BANANAS, DATES, FIGS, MANGO, PAPAYA,PINEAPPLE, LITCHI etc.	THEY ARE USED TO PREPARE FRUIT SALAD,FLAVORING AND GARNISHING.MANGOES ARE USED FOR JAMS.
OTHER FRUITS	THESE ARE THE FRUITS WHICH DO NOT FALL INTO ANY CATEGORY GIVEN ABOVE	CRANBERRIES, MELONS, GRAPES etc.	THEY ARE USED TO PREPARE FRUIT SALAD, FLAVORING AND GARNISHING.

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STORAGE OF FRUITS::::::::

1. Hard fruits such as Apples should be stored in bones.
2. Soft fruits such as strawberries, raspberries should be left in their own pun nets.
3. Stoned fruits are stored in a tray and must be individually placed so that any damage fruit can be discarded easily.
4. Peaches and citrus fruits are left in the delivery tray only.
5. Bananas should be stored in cool places because their skin turns black.

QUALITY AND PURCHASING:::::::::::::

1. Soft fruits should not be damaged and over ripped.
2. Soft fruits should always appear fresh without signs of mold, witting and shrinkage.
3. Certain fruits are purchased on the basis of appearance such as strawberries, cherries etc.
4. Hard fruits should not be bruised.

PRESERVATION:::::::::::::

1. Drying: It is used for apples, apricots, bananas, figs, peaches, plums etc.(dried plums = prunes and dried grapes= currants, sultanas and raisins)
2. Canning: Almost every fruit can be canned except apples which are packed in water.
3. Bottling: It is mainly used for cherries bottled in maraschinos.
4. Candied Fruits: Fruits are put in the sugar syrup and then dried for e.g. Pineapples, Oranges, and Lemon Peel.
5. Quick Freezing: It is preserving food by dropping the temperature to 0*C for e.g. Strawberries, Apples, Plums, Grapefruits etc.
6. Sulphuring: It is carried out by spraying fruits with sulphur dioxide, (.So2) and blocking the contact with air for e.g. it is used for grapes before preparing wine.
7. Jams and Jellies: It is prepared by making a puree of boiled fruits along with flavoring.