Crate of red, green, and yellow apples

The Brown Stem Rule To Pick Out Better Apples

NEWS

By ASHLEN WILDER

The secret to choosing the sweetest apple is in the stem. A green stem shows the apple is not quite ripe, while a brown stem is a sign that it is ready to eat.
Furthermore, a missing apple stem may reduce the amount of time that an apple stays fresh for, as microorganisms can enter the spot where the stem was located.
Squeezing an apple isn't a good indicator of ripeness because apples are firm, whether ripe or not. This makes the stem rule the best way to avoid a mushy, flavorless apple.