App-etite: Harvest

Watch any cooking show or professional chef and you’ll see how they handle produce—squeezing it delicately, examining it carefully, rapping on the rind and listening intently. If you’re one of the many who think, perplexed, “What are they listening for?” then Harvest is the app for you. This handy guide gives you a chef’s understanding of what makes the perfect pear, the most appetizing avocado, the ripest rhubarb. It also offers you tips on how to store each fruit or vegetable to preserve its perfection for as long as possible, and how to maximize flavor and color. Harvest even gives you the dirt on average pesticide residue for each type of produce. Never fear for the quality of your salads or casseroles again. $2.99 in the iTunes store.