Mara always thought choosing apples at the market was easy—grab a few that looked shiny and move on. But one autumn afternoon, while she was picking fruit for a family gathering, she noticed an older woman examining apples with a level of expertise that caught her curiosity. Instead of choosing the prettiest ones, the woman tapped, tilted, and weighed each apple with surprising care. Finally, she turned to Mara with a kind smile and said, “Most people choose apples with their eyes. The best apples are chosen with your senses.”

Intrigued, Mara followed the woman’s demonstration. She learned that the crispest apples feel firm and heavy for their size—a sign of juiciness. The sweetest ones often have a subtle, fresh scent and tight skin with no soft spots. The woman even shared a secret she swore by: check for a slight dullness, not too glossy of a shine, because overly polished apples are often older than they look. Mara tried the tips immediately, comparing apples she would’ve picked before to the ones chosen using the woman’s method. The difference was obvious.