Dear Seattle market-goers, 

Please stop squeezing the life out of fruit when you check for ripeness, you vicious maniacs. 

The other day I cracked open an avocado and found the thing covered in fingerprint bruises. I thought to call the cops to report a case of abuse, but I didn't want to make the situation worse. 

I ran into the same problem with the stone fruits this summer. One box of nectarines at the Capitol Hill Farmers Market looked absolutely brutalized—half-moon scars from fingernails digging into the flesh covered nearly every fruit. WHO RAISED YOU PEOPLE?

Apply GENTLE pressure to check for ripeness in fruits. That's all you need to do in most cases! If the fruit doesn’t yield, then abandon it! If you don't get what you want, then consider swapping it for similar fruit, or consider changing your plans. As Chef John always says: Don’t let the food win. 

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