Fruit is something I just can't bring myself to do. I've tried, but I can't. I love blueberries, though, I like putting them in my oatmeal. But apples? Yuk. The only way I'll eat apples, or any fruit for that matter, is if they're disguised with another taste - like caramel dip or peanut butter.

It's not that I HATE fruit, it just doesn't appeal to me and isn't my first choice of foods for blowing my calories.

Hi Linda

Yah that's a hard one! I used to not like fruit very well either but once I got started on it and not eating junk I have learned to really LIKE a lot of it... and LOL yah the caramel dip and peanut butter kind of defeats the purpose, huh? :)

I'm really looking forward to trying these apples as snacks today. Hah whodathunk I'd ever happily anticipate eating fruit???

I do like applesauce, though. Could eat that every day! And cantaloupe. I have a nice ripe one onthe counter, just waiting for me. I just hate having to dispose of the rind. Our disposal isn't very reliable, so we don't use it. Cantaloupe rinds can make quite a stink in the trash :(.

I've always thought that you lose so much of the pineapple when you buy it fresh -- don't you lose like half of it when you skin it?

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Originally Posted by Less of Lena:
I've always thought that you lose so much of the pineapple when you buy it fresh -- don't you lose like half of it when you skin it?

Not if you do it right! You need one of the little pineapple corers that sell for around $4 or $5... just little plastic things with a handle. You just cut off the top of the pineapple and stick the corer over it, twisting as you turn. When you get to the bottom the whole pineapple lifts out, all sliced. You can also get metal ones but they are more expensive and the plastic one works fine.

After I do that, there is still a LOT of good pineapple left in the skin. I cut it in sections with my electric knife, cut off the bottom too, and lay out the sections on a cutting board, one at a time. Then I take the knife and go sideways cutting out chunks of pineapple. This part is delicious and actually is the BEST if you dehydrate it.

This way I get all of the pineapple out with VERY little waste!!

Like I've said in a few other posts, I learn something new every time I sign on to 3FC. Thanks fo rht e info on pineapple slicers, Dance!

W O W

I'm just now biting into this Fiji and it is DE-LISH-SHUSH!!!!! Wow wow wow! Crisp! Smooth! Yum!!! Thanks for suggesting it!

Next one up will be the Gala, maybe today, maybe tomorrow, but this Fiji definitely gets a thumbs up. Yum!

((Whoda ever thunk I'd gush on about an apple!!! My, how times have changed!!!))

I am amazed you like Fujis! They are mostly thought of around here as cooking apples and are SO mushy! But LOL glad you are enjoying them!!

If you are swooning over a Fuji you will jump for joy over a Pink Lady LOL

I know what you mean though... I can hardly WAIT for my huge crock pot full of mixed veggies to get done for dinner! LOL

Originally Posted by dance4joy:
Avoid Fuji as they are mealy.... yuck.

Interesting. I'm in WA also (Yakima) and I've rarely gotten a bag Fuji. They aren't mushy or mealy over on this side of the mountains! One of my favorites! Glad you liked it, Lena!

Interesting... I guess we just have different tastes! :) I don't like them at all! But apparently a lot of people on here do! The neat part about being in WA state is that we have so many wonderful varieties to pick from. I love the Jonagolds too but when Pink Ladys are in season I devour them LOL. But I bought one in Missouri last summer and it was horrible... LOL

Originally Posted by dance4joy:
Interesting... I guess we just have different tastes!

Yep! I agree WA is a great state for different apple varieties. At the Farmer's Market I'm always love trying out the new varieties. There was a VERY hard one there this year and I cannot remember what it was called. BTW - how do you pick a good pineapple? I hate paying $4-5 for one and then have it be sour. I've figured out how to pick a good watermelon though!

wow -- I really started something with this pineapple talk!

I don't have a corer-- I cut it the old fashioned way -- but I also work to get the most out of it. I can describe if anyone's interested. And, at my produce place they aren't so expensive. Today they were 1.69 each, and they rarely go above $3 each. So, I'm lucky.

As for picking a ripe one, I've heard several possibilities. One is to pull at the leaves at the top, and if they come out, they are ripe. Though I have also read that this DOESN'T work. Then I read that you should smell the bottom, and it should smell like -- pineapple. So, I do both, and it seems to work pretty well!

Hi Wyllen

When I lived in the Philippines, it was funny as none of us Americans could peel and prepare a pineapple correctly. Our Filipino friends DID teach me and all of us how to do it... LOL we all laughed that most of us Americans just started whacking into it until we could find a piece big enough to eat. So actually I DO know how to do it properly...but it sure is a LOT more hard work and effort than using the little plastic thingie <GGG>

And I have NEVER seen a "good" pineapple since after eating THOSE things over there!! Sooooo good!

dance --

Oh, I bet you are soooo right -- the pineapples there must be amazing!!!

Based on your recommendation, I will keep my eyes out for a pineapple corer. I buy one almost every week, so I think I would get some use out of it!

Originally Posted by wyllenn:
Oh, I bet you are soooo right -- the pineapples there must be amazing!!!

Oh the difference is unbelievable!!! I am drooling right now wishing for one and LOL I can just see my Filipina best friend and I laughing while she taught me how to cut up the thing properly LOL. We had some good times over there!!!

It's the same in Hawaii. You cannot get a bad pineapple!

I cannot believe that you can get pineapples for so cheap there! I'd be eating them all the time. I've tried pulling the leaves and sometimes cannot get any leaves to come out at all - so assume they are all unripe. I'll try the sniff test.

Yah I am amazed at getting them that cheap too... LOL sure not around here!!!! But they are worth it anyway!!!