Now Forage

Blueberry: Deep blue-purple with a silvery bloom; stem scar (not stem) at the top. Taste is the best test — a truly ripe blueberry is sweet and has no pink flesh inside. Let the cluster go fully blue before picking the whole thing.

Fig: Hangs heavily and droops at the neck; skin softens and may split. A sweet drop of nectar at the base eye and the absence of white sap at the stem confirm ripeness. Pick with a gentle twist.

Passionfruit: Purple varieties: skin wrinkles and turns deep purple. Yellow varieties: fully yellow and slightly heavy. Both are ripe when they fall freely. Wrinkled skin indicates riper, more aromatic flesh — not deterioration.