287674 Fri Sep 28 17:25:11 -0700 2001 14 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1548785 Where would you go to buy fruit on the Net? Fri Sep 28 17:25:11 -0700 2001 0 David Feldman 1 1548789 What kind of fruit? Fri Sep 28 17:38:55 -0700 2001 1548785 0 Carolyn Tillie 2 1548824 She is looking for any kind of fruit, but since this will be a Christmas gift, I guess it would be appropriate to be a place that offers at least some fruits that are available in the winter. Sat Sep 29 00:28:12 -0700 2001 1548789 0 David Feldman 3 1548826 I guess I need specifics -- since I live in California, I can't think a fruit that ISN'T available, even in winter... Isn't that why Harry & David's has thrived? They supply erstwhile unavailable fruits to parts of the country that can't get certain products? Sat Sep 29 01:15:07 -0700 2001 1548824 0 Carolyn Tillie 4 1548835 Has not Harry & David's thrived because they have bio-engineered pears that are jucier than anything. The question is, as good as a pear can be, why would anyone want to pay that much money for one? Maybe once upon a time, things like truffles and cavier were in the same league, and it took guys like Harry & David to get people to pay large sums of money for those products too. The good news is that if you go into a Harry & David store, especially one in an outlet mall (Michigan City for those in the area), their jellies are, it seems, always on sale. Buy as many as you can carry as they will last a long, long time un-opened. For all your friends in DC, give them jars of marrionberry jam. VI Sat Sep 29 10:16:16 -0700 2001 1548826 0 Vital Information 1 1548793 Anywhere but Harry & David. Their prices are insanely high. Fri Sep 28 18:13:30 -0700 2001 1548785 0 2chez mike 1 1548836 For Florida citrus fruit I really like Blood's Groves in Delray Beach. Their 2001 website isn't up yet but they say that it will be up in a couple of weeks. They will begin shipping during the second week of November. I particularly like their grapefruits and honeybell tangelos. They have all sorts of gift packages and also sell some prepared foods like marmalade, coconut patties and key lime cookies. The quality of their fruit is very high. Here's the link to last year's website: Link: http://www.bloodsgroves.com/2000Site/index.cfm?do=list&categoryid=1 Sat Sep 29 10:25:23 -0700 2001 1548785 0 Nancy Berry 2 1548894 Thanks, Nancy. Have you ever tried Cushman's Citrus? It comes highly recommended in the Engel sisters' "Food Finds." Sun Sep 30 00:54:16 -0700 2001 1548836 0 David Feldman 3 1548897 I haven't tried any other citrus places, Dave. Most of these, including Blood's, won't ship citrus to California, Texas or Arizona and I live in San Francisco. I've been to Blood's in Florida, and my parents used to have them send their produce to my siblings in N.Y. and Milwaukee. Sun Sep 30 11:00:05 -0700 2001 1548894 0 Nancy Berry 1 1548843 I'm glad you raised this question. I keep hoping that somebody at chowhound will come up with a viable alternative. Harry & David is expensive--but dammit their pears are worth it. I've never had another pear as good as theirs. I wish I could find the same quality pears for half the money somewhere else on line. But so far at least, no one here (nor anybody else I know) has come up with another source. And as far as their pears being bio-engineered, I don't think so. They tasted this good thirty years ago and they've been shipping expensive deluxe pears now for nearly 70 years. Sat Sep 29 12:25:24 -0700 2001 1548785 0 e.d. 2 1548845 I believe pinnacle farms (orchards?) is another high quality mailorder vendor of the comice pears. They are not "bioengineered" they are just a superior french variety that for many years was sold almost exclusively by H&D. I have had Pinnacle's pears in the past and they are equally excellent. I have also bought small comice pears 3/$ in Chinatown and similar value conscious markets from time to time - the small or slightly marred pears are equally good, actually better for single servings but not so suitable for mailorder. Sat Sep 29 12:46:10 -0700 2001 1548843 0 jen kalb 3 1548904 Thanks for the information. I will seek out Pinnacle. I have had comice pears bought in supermarkets, but the quality has never been as good--more gritty and less creamy when ripe. Thanks again! Sun Sep 30 16:20:38 -0700 2001 1548845 0 e.d. 1 1548844 Dave: The most beautiful and delicious fruit baskets I've seen come from Manhattan Fruitier: Link: http://www.manhattanfruitier.com/scripts/WebObjects.dll/Manhattan Sat Sep 29 12:44:49 -0700 2001 1548785 0 Pat Hammond 2 1548893 Thanks to all for your ideas. I'm another big fan of Manhattan Fruitier. Fine quality and excellent service. My only cavil is that shipping costs for out-of-state items can be prohibitive. Sun Sep 30 00:50:20 -0700 2001 1548844 0 Dave Feldman 1 1548850 For the best grapefruit you will ever eat order from Red Cooper. Its expensive but WORTH every bite Link: http://www.redcooper.com/ Sat Sep 29 15:58:09 -0700 2001 1548785 0 Susan