Instructions: Apples our No. 1 fruit.

This once-seasonal fruit is now available year-round and in enough varieties to make your head swim. When shopping for apples, look for fruits that are solid and aromatic. They should be smooth and bruise-free. Store apples in the refrigerator; they will last eight to 10 times longer than unrefrigerated fruit. And store them away from strong-smelling foods. Apples readily absorb odors.

Some little known apple bits:
Apple odor-eaters: Place apple halves around the house. They absorb odors, like cigarette smoke, in about six hours. This will work in cars as well.

Baking tips: If youre making an open tart, sprinkle sugar on top of the fruit before baking. Sugar is hydroscopic, which means it attracts and joins with moisture. With apples, the juice and sugar form a syrup, which holds to moisture better than plain apples will. The result: a tart that will be moist and toothsome.

Freezing apples: Make a lemon-water bath by combining three parts water to one part lemon juice. Peel, core and slice apples. Drop slices into bath and let stand one minute. Remove slices, drain and pack tightly into freezer bag or plastic container. Leave 1 inch of head room. Seal and freeze up to six months.

Storage: Putting an apple with your potatoes will suppress the growth of sprouts. The ripe apple emits ethylene gas as it respires or oxidizes. That slows the elongation of the potatoes cells, which makes the sprouts sprout.

Measuring equivalents:
1 pound equals 4 small, 3 medium or 2 large apples 1 pound sliced equals 23/4 cups
1 pound diced equals 3 cups
2 medium grated equals 1 cup

Nutritional powerhouse: A medium apple, 21/2 inches in diameter, contains 80 calories and 21 grams of carbohydrates. It is a great source of soluble fiber, boron, vitamin C and potassium. It is low in sodium and virtually fat-free.

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