Instructions

1. Check the nectarines you've picked or purchased to make sure there aren't any bruises or brown spots. Set aside the fruit with brown spots and bruises. To avoid complete waste, cut off the bruises and brown spots and eat the remainder of the fruit plain, or served with yogurt or milk.

2. Store and ripen the nectarines on the countertop if they are hard and do not have yellow in the background color of the skin, or a green color close to the stem area. Place the nectarines in a fruit bowl and store them unrefrigerated for two to three days to ripen.

3. Speed up the ripening process by placing the nectarines in a paper bag with one ripe apple. Check the nectarines after 24 hours.

4. Move ripe nectarines to a wire or mesh basket or bowl and store them in the refrigerator. A mesh bowl, basket or even a colander prevent the fruit from exposure to moisture, which causes mold.