Pie rookies often hit a roadblock when it comes to fruit pies. Choice overload hits and you find yourself standing in the grocery store, produce bag in hand, staring at the vast array of fruits and berries, suddenly wondering if it matters which fruit you choose. Are these baking apples? Are grape pies a thing? Are coconuts a fruit? Does any of this even matter? And the answer is yes — to all four, actually.
Fortunately, you can easily narrow down your choices by following one rule: To everything, there is a season. That is to say that you need in-season fruit picked at the peak of freshness to achieve the best results. In-season fruit has a better consistency and more vibrant flavor and it might even be slightly healthier (which we all know is of utmost importance when selecting fruit for pies).
Stores can still import out-of-season fruits from different regions where they're still in season. However, they're pricier than in-season fruit, plus storage and shipping across long distances may degrade their quality by the time they arrive. Choosing the right fruit for your pie Sticking with in-season fruit doesn't necessarily mean limiting your choices.
Thanks to preservation techniques like freezing and canning, it's totally possible to get near-perfect in-season fruits, even when they're out of season. That's especially true when it comes to commercially frozen options, which are picked at the same time as the fresh produce you bought a few months ago and then flash-frozen t.
