Berries

[Princess L]

With the upcoming berry (blueberries ~ yum  ), here's some helpful information I received via email.  I always do this before freezing (drying them single layer on a paper towel first), but I didn't realize it prevented mold too.

Berries are delicious, but they're also kind of delicate. Raspberries in particular seem like they can mold before you even get them home from the market. There's nothing more tragic than paying $4 for a pint of local raspberries, only to look in the fridge the next day and find that fuzzy mold growing on their insides.
Well, with fresh berries just starting to hit farmers markets, we can tell you that how to keep them fresh! Here’s a tip I’m sharing on how to prevent them from getting there in the first place:
Wash them with vinegar.
When you get your berries home, prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider probably work best) and ten parts water. Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain, rinse if you want (though the mixture is so diluted you can't taste the vinegar,) and pop in the fridge. The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the fruit, and voila! Raspberries will last a week or more, and strawberries go almost two weeks without getting moldy and soft. So go forth and stock up on those pricey little gems, knowing they'll stay fresh as long as it takes you to eat them.
You're so berry welcome!

[Montague]

NICE!!!
Strawberries are soon due. Have you tried this idea?
I'm just wondering if the solution leaves behind anything that affects the berry's taste.

[Princess L]

NICE!!!
Strawberries are soon due. Have you tried this idea?
I'm just wondering if the solution leaves behind anything that affects the berry's taste.

Yes, I do this to all my produce before eating.  I keep a small spray bottle with a vinegar/water mix on the sink for small jobs and do a 'bath' for larger jobs, like broccoli.  I didn't know it helped prevent mold, I thought it just helped clean.  No taste whatsoever.

I buy vinegar by the gallon.  It serves A LOT of purposes.

[Montague]

Yes, I do this to all my produce before eating.  I keep a small spray bottle with a vinegar/water mix on the sink for small jobs and do a 'bath' for larger jobs, like broccoli.  I didn't know it helped prevent mold, I thought it just helped clean.  No taste whatsoever.

I buy vinegar by the gallon.  It serves A LOT of purposes.

Years ago, my Dad bought some kind of spray at the store that was supposed to remove all of the "undesirables" from produce, although I'm not sure that preventing mold was one of the benefits. I don't believe he uses it anymore. I can't wait to tell him about this stuff; he loves fresh berries and always has a bunch in his fridge!

Do you supplement at all with apple-cider vinegar?

[El Diablo Blanco]

Nice tip.  I always get my berries from Costco, but sure enough, on day 2 or 3 in the fridge I pull them out and they are all growing white beards.

[Princess L]

Years ago, my Dad bought some kind of spray at the store that was supposed to remove all of the "undesirables" from produce, although I'm not sure that preventing mold was one of the benefits. I don't believe he uses it anymore. I can't wait to tell him about this stuff; he loves fresh berries and always has a bunch in his fridge!

Do you supplement at all with apple-cider vinegar?

Nice tip.  I always get my berries from Costco, but sure enough, on day 2 or 3 in the fridge I pull them out and they are all growing white beards.

It was right about the time that 'veg wash' stuff became available that I started with the vinegar solution (probably a handy 'green' tip).  I still only wash stuff right before I'm going to use it because they say stuff stays fresher longer if you don't, but I'm going to try it.  Actually, it does work well with greens come to think of it.  Give them a bath and gently dry on paper towel, then store in plastic bag WITH a paper towel.  It keeps them dry, but still provides just enough moisture to keep them crisp.  I would do the same thing with berries probably.  Wash them, then gently roll them around on a paper towel and put them back in the vented container with the paper towel.  That would keep air flow going while keeping them dry.

For freezing, do the same thing.  Wash & dry and then put in a single layer on a paper towel lined cookie sheet in the freezer for an hour or so.  THEN put them in freezer bags/containers.  They'll come out as individual berries rather than a big clump when you're ready to use.

The BIG thing about freezing blueberries I’ve found, make sure the water bath is QUICK (so the skins don't soak up the water) and dry them quickly otherwise the skins turn “leathery”.

No to supplementing with ACV.

[El Diablo Blanco]

I was watching a show on TV about inventions and this one lady took the idea of the filters used in warehouses that suck up the gas fruits and veggies emmit and keeps them fresh longer into little packets.

Same idea as this.

http://www.polarfresh.net/

[ritch]

I eat frozen blueberries, strawberries and rasberies every morning in my oatmeal with whey. Breakfast of champions right there!

[WOOO]

I eat frozen blueberries, strawberries and rasberies every morning in my oatmeal with whey. Breakfast of champions right there!

did you read the OP champ?

[ritch]

^^^ what's the op. I usually read stuff from here and another forum while I eat...

[WOOO]

OP = Original Post or Original Poster... based on my use it meant original post...

post wasn't about berries

it's about vinegar

[ritch]

meh, too much work. I've been eating them this way never had any problems. Some roody poo advice.

[WOOO]

meh, too much work. I've been eating them this way never had any problems. Some roody poo advice.

 

[Princess L]

meh, too much work. I've been eating them this way never had any problems. Some roody poo advice.

You'd rather eat moldy produce or waste money throwing something away that could've lasted longer?

[ritch]

You'd rather eat moldy produce or waste money throwing something away that could've lasted longer?

It has no time to mold!

[Princess L]

It has no time to mold!

Gotcha 

[ritch]

Gotcha 

but seriously, thanks for the advice, I will pass it on if I ever see a friend with lots of berries freshly baked who won't let me eat them all....

[Princess L]

but seriously, thanks for the advice, I will pass it on if I ever see a friend with lots of berries freshly baked who won't let me eat them all....

I have a wild raspberry patch in my yard, and while I'm not a huge fan of the raspberry, I pick & eat them for their nutritional benefit.  I swear they mold within a day of picking them.

[WOOO]

I have a wild raspberry patch in my yard, and while I'm not a huge fan of the raspberry, I pick & eat them for their nutritional benefit.  I swear they mold within a day of picking them.

the lack of pesticides in your yard appalls me   







 

[El Diablo Blanco]

the lack of pesticides in your yard appalls me   







 

Sprinkle some of that DNP you use for dieting all over your berry bush