1 day Ago By Phoebe Cornish
Apples are cheap, healthy and delicious, but they quickly become unappetising when the flesh turns soft and slightly brown. As with all fresh produce, a solid approach to food storage is the best way to avoid mushy and bruised fruit , and an expert has shared a long-lasting remedy for crunchy apples. Laura Scheck, chef, educator, and the founder of Teaching Table told Martha Stewart: "The best place to store apples is going to depend on your own environmental conditions, such as how warm or humid it is in your home.
" However, there is one rule of thumb that's essential for longevity. "Apples release the gaseous hormone ethylene, which will cause other fruits and vegetables to ripen faster, especially if the apples themselves are bruised or overripe," said Laura. For this reason, it is recommended that apples be kept out of the fruit bowl.
This ensures they don't accelerate the ripening of ethylene-sensitive fruits like grapes, lemons, and limes. Laura suggests storing apples in a plastic container or bag in the fridge, in a separate fruit bowl, away from other fruits, or in a paper bag on the countertop. These options are ideal for short-term storage of one to two weeks, but only if your kitchen is consistently cool.
Warmth and humidity lead to faster ripening, softening, and potential shrivelling, promoting mould and decay. The Teaching Table chef says the fridge is the best option in warm kitchens. Ken Wortz, head distiller for Sauvage Distillery in Charlottesville, New York, agrees.
Ken said that the aptly named crisper drawer at the base of the fridge is ideal for preserving apples' colour and crunch. "They can last six to eight weeks stored in a refrigerator," he said. Items stored in the fridge drawer may be prone to bruising if tightly compacted, but you can avoid this by arranging apples in a single layer.
For extra protection, wrap the apples in paper bags or a sheet of newspaper. This way, any apples that start to spoil won't contaminate the whole batch. It is also worth checking a bunch of apples for bruises and consuming them before storing the others.
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