Thank You Berry Much!

     Recently I received some important information from a loyal reader.  The topic was how to prevent mold from growing on the fresh fruit we bring home from the market.  It reads as follows:

We eat fresh fruit every day and because we eat a little of each (Banana, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Grapes, Cantaloups, Pineapple and Watermelon) every day the berries start to go bad quickly and end up in the garbage.  Not anymore thanks to this great tip.

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. 
     Here's a tip 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) and ten parts water.  Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around.  Drain, rinse if you want, 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 to eat them.