Now Forage

Lemon (Citrus): Uniformly yellow skin; heavy for its size. Can stay on the tree for months once yellow. Scratch the skin — a strong lemon scent confirms ripeness.

Loquat: Clusters of orange-yellow fruit; ripe when fully orange with no green, yields to gentle pressure, and comes off the stem with a slight tug. Very sweet and aromatic when right — mealy if overripe. Short shelf life after picking.

Mango: Smell is the best guide — a ripe mango is intensely fragrant at the stem end. Skin colour varies (yellow, red, green) by variety and is not reliable. Fruit yields to gentle pressure. The cheeks fill out and round. Harvest slightly firm for best transport; ripen at room temperature.

Orange (Citrus): Fully orange and heavy for its size. Skin yields slightly when squeezed. Fruit will hang on the tree well past colour development without falling — taste-test for sweetness.