Season: Pomegranates peak from September to January.

Purchase: Pomegranates that feel heavy for their size and are hard when pressed.

Avoid: Pomegranates that are cracked, bruised or have soft spots.

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Season: Though found year-round in supermarkets, raspberries peak late spring through summer.

Varieties: Besides red raspberries there are black raspberries and yellow raspberries, their flavor being similar to regular red raspberries.

Purchase: Choose deeply-colored raspberries with hollow centers that are plump, firm and fragrant. Continued over here »

Season: Eureka and Lisbon lemons are available year-round in supermarkets. Meyer lemons peak in winter and spring.

Varieties: The two most common lemon varieties are the Lisbon and Eureka. Both are almost identical in size and shape, being oblong, having vivid yellow skin and acidic, juicy flesh. Meyer lemons are more sweet, with a thin, yellow-orange skin, have fabulously full flavor, and yield a high amount of juice.

Purchase: Choose lemons with firm, glossy yellow, unblemished skin and feel heavy for their size. The skin should be taut and thin and should give slightly when pressed.

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Season: Cherries, having a very short season, are available and peak between June and August.

Purchase: Buy cherries with the stalk still on and make sure they have been kept cool as their flavor deteriorates when exposed to warmth.

Avoid: Do not pick cherries that are blemished or have soft, wrinkled, spotted or burst patches. Instead choose ones that are firm, shiny and large with green stems.

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Season: Strawberries can be found year round in most supermarkets, however, the best ones arrive between the peak season of April to July.

Purchase: Choose strawberries that are plump, fragrant, and firm and are bright red in color.

Avoid: Bruising, leaking or mold festering in the container. Avoid strawberries with greenish white shoulders, which indicates unripe fruit.

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