Fresh picks: quality produce shopping is not a game of chance.

An acornsquash completely orange in color will generally:

a. have a fine flavor and smooth, string-free texture.

b. be dry and stringy in texture.

Complete orange on an acorn squash is a sign of maturity, and the squash will be dry and stringy in texture.

Fruits and vegetables are very important in a vegetarian diet, but oftentimes money is wasted on bland, tasteless, and mediocre produce. Today it's possible to enjoy almost any fresh fruit or vegetable year-round because of modern refrigeration, faster transportation, and new plant varieties. But how can you be sure that you get what you pay for?

There's a better way to find quality produce than shaking, thumping, pinching, and plucking.

The keys are your eyes and nose.

The three predominant varieties of lettuce on the market are iceberg, romaine, and loose-leaf.

Iceberg lettuce, also known as crisp-head, is the most common salad green. The head should be round and well formed with fresh-looking green outer leaves. Romaine has long, narrow leaves and sweet-flavored variety. The outer leaves should be slightly coarse and dark green in color. Looseleaf lettuce is popular in red- and green-leaf varieties. The leaves do not form a compact head, but grow up and out from a single stalk.

When purchasing any type of lettuce, look for leaves that are fresh, crisp, and colorful. Check the butt (or cut) end. it should be a creamy color and smell sweet, not bitter. Once home, refrigerate the lettuce in a tightly closed plastic bag or sealed container. Lettuce should not be stored next to apples, pears, plums, avocados, tomatoes, or melons.

These fruits give off an ethylene gas as they ripen, and cause rust spots on your lettuce.

CARROTS

The majority of carrots today are sold in plastic bags. Peek through the plastic and select the package containing small to medium colorful, well-shaped (tapered, not with blunt ends) carrots. Check the ends for decay. They should not be yellowish, black, or deeply discolored. This signals old age. Hairy rootlets sprouting from the carrot's skin are also a sign of age.

Carrots keep well in the refrigerator for several weeks. With loose carrots, remove tops if necessary, rinse in cool water, and place in a plastic bag before storing. Carrots are also harmed by the ethylene gas produced by the fruits mentioned. This gas will cause them to become bitter.

BROCCOLI

The key words for broccoli are firm and green. A purplish tinge on the buds may be present, depending on variety. Broccoli is available all year. Look for tightly closed buds in compact clusters. Broccoli should smell fresh. A strong, pungent odor signals maturity. Never purchase broccoli that has started to yellow. It will taste woody and tough. Store fresh broccoli in the refrigerator in a plastic bag.

MUSHROOMS

Time-it's the difference between a great mushroom and a throwaway. Mushrooms are quite perishable and should be used soon after purchasing. Select mushrooms with closed caps, no exposed undergills. Gills are a sign of age. Never buy mushrooms that feel sticky and tacky. Mushrooms should feel dry and smooth. Store your mushrooms in the refrigerator in an open basket or paper bag so they can breathe. A damp paper towel covering will help them retain moisture. Never soak mushrooms. Wipe them gently with a damp paper towel before using.

WINTER SQUASHES

Winter squashes are now available year-round. These include many varieties, the most common being acorn, butternut, and hubbard.

Hubbard squash is less popular because of its five-to fifteen-pound size. This warty-skinned squash can appear dark-green, light-blue, or orange in color. It should be firm, rock-hard. When purchasing hubbard pre-cut, select one with a crisp, clean flesh. Avoid pieces that are bruised or discolored.

The butternut variety looks something like a huge peanut. The skin should be smooth and buff-colored. A greenish tint indicates a tasteless flesh.

The acorn squash resembles a huge acorn. Select acorns with a deep dull blackish-green, unblemished skin. Traces of yellow-orange are fine, but avoid cords that are more than half orange. This is a sign of maturity, and the squash will be dry and stringy in texture. A shiny skin indicates premature picking.

Winter-variety squashes have a shelf life of several months if stored in a cool, dark, well-ventilated area.

SWEET POTATOES AND YAMS

Yams and sweet potatoes are often confused at produce counters and occasionally labeled incorrectly. Sweet potatoes are light yellow to pale orange in color. Choose small to medium sizes tapered at both ends. Avoid sweet potatoes with discolored skins and growth cracks.

Yams are moist and sweeter when cooked than sweet potatoes. They have a copper or brownish skin and deep orange flesh. Both sweet potatoes and yams are available all year, with their peak season in the cooler months. Store both in a dry, dark location, separate from your onions. Onions and potatoes give off a gas that shortens the storage life of the other.

PINEAPPLES

For real quality, choose a pineapple by its color. The body should be yellow to golden orange. Avoid greenish, bruised, or dull-colored fruit. Soft spots are a warning sign, along with dried-out brownish crowns. Never select a pineapple with a double crown. it will have two cores. If possible, purchase the largest pineapple because the proportion of the edible flesh increases with size.

Whole pineapples should not be stored below 50o F. This includes the refrigerator. The fruit may cut black if stored this way.

LEMONS AND LIMES 

Lemons and limes add color to any dining festivity. Choose lemons that have fine-textured skins and that weigh heavy for size. Rough-looking lemons usually have thick skins and less juice. A slight greenish cast to the skin is desirable. This signals that the juice will contain more acid.

Limes too should be selected weighing heavy for size. Brown spots on the skin are acceptable and will not affect the juice. Avoid yellow-skinned limes. This coloring is the result of sun overexposure and causes deterioration to begin.

CANTALOUPES

For a sweet, orange-flesh cantaloupe, select melons that have a golden, light yellowish skin. if the rind is green, the melon was picked too soon; yellow indicates overripe. Cantaloupes should be completely covered with a creamy-colored raised netting. Avoid melons with large smooth spots on the skin.

Cantaloupes should feel heavy for size and smell fragrant and sweet. Cantaloupes do not become sweeter after they have been picked, but they do improve in juiciness and softness when stored at room temperature. Ripen at room temperature, then refrigerate.

HONEYDEW MELONS 

Honeydew melons are the sweetest of the melon family. Select honeydews that are a creamy buttery color. Stay clear of honeydews with a dead-white rind. This indicates the melon was picked too soon. Notice the texture of the skin. It should have a velvety feel and may seem slightly tacky. An unripe honeydew will feel smooth, slick, and hard. Patches of netting are fine, and freckles on the outer skin suggests a high sugar content.

Honeydews, like cantaloupes, should feel heavy for size. A little give at the rind indicates ripeness. A soft, soupy honeydew, one that sloshes when gently shook, is probably overripe. Store honeydew melons in a warm area, out of direct sunlight, for a few days, then chill and serve.

WATERMELONS

Watermelons come in various sizes, shapes, and skin colors. Newer varieties offer no seeds, yellow meat, and small sizes. A ripe watermelon is the most difficult produce item to pick. The key to remember is that watermelons do not ripen after they've been picked. Begin with the skin. An immature melon will have a shiny skin, an overripe melon a dull skin. Look at the belly of the watermelon. It should be slightly yellow or amber-colored. Avoid melons with greenish or white "ground spots."

There are two kinds of watermelon buyers, those who are thumpers and those who are not. If you believe that watermelon quality can be determined by thumping, this is what thumpers say to listen for: a hollow sound indicates an overripe melon, a metallic sound, an underripe melon. If the watermelon has a deep resonant sound, it's ready to eat.

When purchasing watermelon out of season, your best bet is to buy pre-cut pieces. The meat of the melon should be red, not pink. You can store an uncut watermelon at room temperature for days, but make sure to refrigerate any pre-cut slices immediately.

GRAPES

Grapes come in many, many varieties. The most popular are the Thompson seedless and the Flame seedless. Regardless of the variety of grape you choose, the same rules apply. Grapes do not ripen or improve with flavor once severed from the vine. What you taste is what you get. Be aware that many stores consider tasting the fruit, even one grape, shoplifting.

Look for colorful grapes that are firmly attached to a green, pliable stem. A dry, brown stem means the grapes are old. Color is important. With green varieties, the greener the grape, the lower the sugar content. The yellower the grape, the higher the sugar content. The darker the blue variety, the better the quality.

Do not avoid grapes containing a powderlike coating. This film is applied by Mother Nature for protection against direct sunlight. The heavier the coating, the fresher the grape.

Once home, discard any bad grapes and store the rest in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Moisture hastens decay, so do not wash them until ready to use.

Quality produce shopping is not a game of chance. Following some simple rules can help assure that you get the best fresh picks.

Susan Frabotta writes from Mesa, Arizona.