Bananas The best bananas have a solid yellow color speckled with brown. Greenish bananas ripen well at home, so they're worth buying if you plan on eating them later. Store bananas at room temperature--not in the fridge--since they age more quickly when cold. Mash overripe bananas to use in cookies and pancakes.

Blueberries Look for firm, brightly colored blueberries. Skip those that look mushy and always examine the container. If it's stained or leaking, chances are the berries are beginning to spoil. Blueberries freeze very well, but don't wash them beforehand. Spread them on a cookie sheet, place in the freezer until solid and then transfer to a freezer-safe container.

Cantaloupes These melons should have a sweet smell; to the touch, the end should have a little bit of give. Store ripe, whole cantaloupes in the fridge, where they'll last for a week. Cut melons will keep for a few days. Overripe cantaloupes make a fine soup.

Cherries Buy cherries when you have time to choose them one by one, not by the handful. The best are plump and dark red, with fresh stems. Cherries should be refrigerated and eaten within a few days of purchase.

Grapefruit Heavy, firm grapefruit are the super juicy ones. Grapefruit can keep in the fridge for two weeks. Tired of eating them raw? Put brown sugar on a grapefruit half and broil it. Or cut fresh fruit into chunks and use to top a chicken dish.

Oranges The heavier the fruit for its size, the juicier it's likely to be. Avoid oranges with thick, coarse or spongy skin. Oranges will keep in the fridge for a few weeks. Squeeze the juice from leftover oranges and use to flavor sauces and salad dressings.

Peaches Tree ripened peaches taste best of all. Fresh peaches have a short season and are fairly perishable, so don't buy more than you plan to use in a couple of days. Use slightly overripe peaches in sauces.

Pears There are several varieties of pears. Anjous (oval with white flesh and green skin) are delicious to eat out of hand and to use in cooking. Bartletts (golden and bell shaped) are good raw or cooked. Aromatic Boscs (tapered and russeted) are delicious raw. Comice (round and sweet) is the best dessert pear. Not as sturdy as apples, pears should be used within a week after ripening. Prepare them simply by coring, adding a little sugar and cinnamon, then baking--in a pan with about a half inch of water and wine--until slightly soft. Or poach pears in a bit of red wine until they take on a beautiful red color.

Pineapples Good ones have a fragrant aroma and should feel heavy for their size. The leaves should be green and crisp. Store underripe pineapples whole at room temperature, but away from sunlight. Keep whole ripe ones in the fridge in a perforated plastic bag for a few days.

Strawberries Look for firm strawberries with the cap stem still attached. Avoid those with large, uncolored seedy areas. Never wash strawberries vigorously. Just rinse under running water before using. Overripe berries are great in smoothies. You can also freeze them (unwashed) to use later in muffin batter.

Watermelons This fruit may or may not have seeds, and comes with flesh that runs from pink to orange to gold. Shop for a cut melon with rich-colored flesh, dark seeds and no white streaks. If you buy a whole melon, it should be symmetrical with a smooth surface, pale green color and well-rounded ends. Store ripe watermelon in the refrigerator, but be sure to remove it an hour or so before serving for the sweetest taste.