#freshness

#freshness

Sometimes it's worth skipping the boxed chocolate cake mix and heading straight to the bakery section at your favorite grocery store. Many stores have ready-to-eat cakes that you can easily grab from the fridge or order at the bakery counter. I visited seven different grocery chains to sample slices and full cakes to see which ones deliver indulgent, crowd-pleasing results and which are best avoided.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice packs acidity, which is the key element that will keep your next fruit salad in its prime. The acidity slows down the oxidation of the fruit as it waits to be served at your picnic or dinner party.

Eating bad oysters can have serious health consequences, so knowing how to tell if your oysters are good enough to eat is a handy life skill.

Choosing great fruit is more than luck, it's a sensory practice. Successful shoppers engage all five senses, not just sight, to select quality fruit. A gentle squeeze can reveal ripeness, while a sweet aroma indicates freshness.

The unboxing process for my Citarella delivery was a 100% pure luxury situation, showcasing the freshest and best-presented shellfish I have ever purchased.