How to pick a ripe Kiwi

How to pick

Start with the skin. On green kiwi (Hayward), look for uniform tawny-brown fuzz covering the whole fruit with no patchy bald spots; the gold varieties are a different species and are not read on fuzz, so judge those on the bare skin instead. Either way, no bruises or dark sunken areas. The skin should look taut and plump, not wrinkled — pay special attention to the stem end, which wrinkles and dulls first as the fruit loses water. Cradle the kiwi in your whole open palm and apply gentle, even pressure with all your fingers (never a hard thumb-press, which bruises it): a fruit that springs back is firm and best bought to ripen at home over 3–7 days, while one that yields slightly all over is ready to eat within a day or two. Heavier-for-its-size fruit holds more moisture and is fresher. If a fruit is already softening, smell the stem end — a faint sweet, fruity aroma confirms ripeness, while any sour or fermented smell means it is past its prime.

Red flags

• A soft, sunken spot that stays depressed, especially near the stem end — localized tissue breakdown working its way inward
• Gray or white fuzzy mold at the stem end or in any blemish — Botrytis rot that spreads to neighboring fruit in the container
• Wet, weeping, or leaking patches — the skin has been breached and the flesh is breaking down
• Dark bruising or discoloration showing through the skin — impact damage that turns to soft rot
• A fermented, sour, or vinegary smell at the stem end — internal breakdown even when the outside still looks intact

How to store

Store firm, unripe kiwis in the coldest part of the refrigerator, ideally right at 32 °F (0 °C), where they keep 3–4 weeks — up to a month if very firm. To ripen, leave them on the counter at room temperature for 3–7 days; speed it up by sealing them in a paper bag with a ripe apple or banana. Keep kiwis away from other ethylene-producing fruit in the fridge — they are very ethylene-sensitive and oversoften quickly. Once ripe, refrigerate and eat within 5–7 days.

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