Sensational Fruit This Year – Finally?

[markk]

I live for summer and the amazing bounty of sweet and delicious fruit that used to come at that time of year, but I'd have to say (and a dear friend in NYC who is a fellow fruit-worshipper, agrees) that it's been years (and years) since we've had any really great fruit here in the markets. In past years just about everything has been either hard (when it's not supposed to be) or soft (when it's not supposed to be), and nothing has had any decent texture, or flavor, or sweetness!!

This has been going on for many years now.

But this summer I've noticed already that just about everything seems to be sensational - perfect, ripe, and sweet.

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In fact, this summer so far I have even had three (count 'em, three) extremely good canteloupes! I believe we have (or had) a thread somewhere here about how canteloupes smell sweet when you're picking them, but tast like gasoline when you cut into them.

Has anybody else noticed what a great year for fruit this is?

[weinoo]

Since you're in northern New Jersey, I'm going to assume you're not getting local cantaloupes, a fruit I generally have good luck with. Most likely what you're getting now is from Mexico or the desert southwest.

I can't say I've had as good luck with much of the "summer" fruit I've purchased - that is, fruit which generally ripens at this time of year in the northern hemisphere.

I've had a couple of good peaches from Georgia purchased at a farm stand in Delaware (and good tomatoes, too!), but the peaches I've bought in NYC (also from GA and CA) have been lousy. Cherries have been kind of blah. Local strawberries are okay, if a little watery from all the rain - when I was in Florida in April, I bought some farm stand local strawberries there that were the best I've had in years.

Obviously, two of the biggest factors affecting the quality of the fruit you or I may buy are the weather and the ability to actually pick good fruit - which, imo, is much easier to do when dealing with local product.

[jmolinari]

I've had some fantastic cantaloupes here in Georgia as well...really much much better than previous years. Makes me wonder why i'm growing them!

Peaches have also been fantastic.

[nolnacs]

I've had some excellent apricots so far this year in Philadelphia. Peaches so far this year have been decent but not fantastic.

[CKatCook]

Yep, this year for the first time in a while now the fruit has not only been good (here in Oklahoma) but reasonable in price. Most of the time you could one or the other, but not both.

[Lindacakes]

I am not thinking the fruit is any better this year -- I am in agreement that it hasn't been good in general for years.

I also had some really good melon and apricots. Strawberries, cherries, blueberries definitely not so good. Second year in a row I will not be able to give brandied or candied cherries as a gift.

[annabelle]

Yep, this year for the first time in a while now the fruit has not only been good (here in Oklahoma) but reasonable in price. Most of the time you could one or the other, but not both.

I'll agree with this. Corn on the cob has been excellent, as well.

[rickster]

Not in the Midwest. Spring warmth followed by a hard frost after fruit trees bloomed killed virtually all the sour cherry and peach crop and supposedly damaged the apple crop as well. Decent berry crops, but a very short season due to the heat and drought.

[gfweb]

My peaches are a little small this year but very sweet.