The story goes like this: In the extreme freezing conditions that affected Europe and Asia Minor in early February, Spain was equally exposed. In many parts of the country, citrus trees, with crop still hanging, were frozen to a greater or lesser extent. Some fruit was frozen to the core, others just touched by frost.

Citrus fruit do not like frost! The effect of full freezing is a collapse of the internal cells, damage to the peel, and a subsequent moisture loss which leads to internal dryness – basically the fruit becomes inedible. Of course, there is varying degrees of frosting of the fruit depending on location and aspect, so the symptoms can vary from fast and extreme internal drying to slow and minor internal drying, with or without visual damage to the peel.  The danger for consumers are the invisible symptoms of frost which only manifest themselves once they are peeled and eaten. This is when segments with low juice content, poor texture and tainted flavour become apparent. In fact, some lightly frosted fruit will look normal, but flavour becomes dull and uninspiring.

So, pity the unsuspecting customers of certain discount supermarkets in Germany and other parts of Europe. The Buyers of said supermarkets spotted a great opportunity after the big freeze in Spain: why not buy-up the fruit in truck loads at the lowest possible price, promote them hard and make a killing? The growers would be desperate, and are notoriously short-sighted, and no one would really notice if the fruit with only a little frost damage was used. Bingo!

After selling truck-loads of frost-damaged oranges at low prices the promotion was seemingly a great success. Unfortunately, the consumers were so dismayed at the quality, that subsequent consumption since February has been 20-30% lower than expected. A bad situation for Spanish citrus growers has turned into something far worse. It is normal for a natural disaster such as freezing conditions to cause problems for the growers, but if the affected fruit is taken out of the market and destroyed, at least the remaining good fruit will fetch a good price due to scarcity.

Will the lessons ever be learned? Will Spanish citrus growers ever protect their reputations? Would such behavior happen in Britain? Well, on the whole, British supermarkets try to do the right thing with quality, as do many of their more up-market European counterparts. Of course, there are differences in price positioning between British supermarkets, but several of the main-stream companies promote themselves on the quality of their products which has a knock-on effect across the sector. Woe be tide any Buyer who would countenance boosting their margin with some frost damaged oranges!

When a fruit is largely round and orange, and there are only subtle differences in appearance between the many varieties, it is easy to understand the confusion. Unfortunately, the consequences are as likely to be negative as positive: no one is happy when a delicious looking orange turns out to be tough to peel, chewy to eat and rather more tart than expected! Fortunately, the opposite can be true as the best oranges offer unexpected delight and the irresistibility of a true 5-Star fruit.

So, with oranges now at their best, it is worth understanding the choice and the basic characteristics of the main varieties. The detail can be found in the Good Fruit Guide pages on oranges, but a basic explanation of oranges sold in UK is as follows:

Navel, Navelina, Navellate, Lane Late: These are the best general eating oranges being very sweet, easy to peel and juicy. They can be distinguished by the ‘navel’ at the base of the fruit, though, in some varieties, this is not always particularly visible from outside.

Navels are at their best from January to April from Spain, Morocco, Egypt and Turkey; then again from late June to September from South Africa.

There are a number of very late Navel varieties which are gradually extending the seasons and which are particularly tasty: look out for Cambria, Powell and Barnfield, to name but three.

Shamouti: The Shamouti is the original ‘Jaffa’ orange from Israel and has always been prized for it’s unique taste. They are no longer so common in UK stores, but do make any appearance in February and March.  The fruit is slightly elongate, but easy to peel.

Salustiana: During November and December, the Salustiana is often the main choice of Mediterranean orange while we wait for Navelina’s to start. The is a ‘blonde’ orange, mainly from Spain, which can be very acceptable to eat, but is not the most exciting of fruit. They are distinguished by quite a soft ‘feel’, are easy to peel, and have very juicy, soft, melting flesh. Salustiana’s are usually available until early February.

Blood-Oranges: The prospect of the blood-orange season starting will send a shiver of anticipation through any self-respecting Italian! We are now in said season, with the pride of Italy and Sicily, the Tarocco, appearing in our larger stores. This is one of the best, only really to be beaten by another pigmented orange, the Maltaise Sanguine from Tunisia which rarely reaches our shores (though last year Waitrose sold them in March and April). These oranges are generally quite soft, medium sized, and have an indication of pigmentation in the peel, but are sublime to eat, with delicious flavour and melting, juicy segments. Other fairly common varieties are Moro and Sanguinelli, which are revered for their eating quality; but there is also the delicious Cara Cara, a late pigmented Navel orange which is briefly available in February / March and again in September.

Valencia Lates: At all other times, when Navels and the other premium eating oranges are unavailable, there is the Valencia Late. This is probably the most widely grown orange in the world and is a real ‘all-rounder’. It is a mid to late season orange, stores well, ships well, and can be marketed for extended periods. The Spanish and Moroccan fruit generally go on sale from February to July, then the South African fruit come in from August to the beginning of Spanish Navelina’s in November.

Is it a good eating orange? For most people, except those with a sweet tooth and an aversion to tangy fruit, the Valencia delivers taste, juice and versatility. With it’s smooth, thin skin, it doesn’t peel particularly easily, but it is firm, robust and resistant to abuse. Internally, the segments are attractive and juicy, but can be a little chewy. There are several variants of Valencia Late such as Delta Seedless, Maroc Late and Midknight, some with slightly superior eating quality. It is worth remembering that the acidity of Valencias will diminish as the season progresses.

A fruit that grows fast is likely to have a milder flavour and a lighter texture, just as a fruit that is harvested early is likely to be sharper and less sweet.

A fruit that grows slowly will have a greater depth of flavour and a more dense or heavier texture, while the later harvested fruit may be sweeter and less tangy.

Of course, if a fruit is harvested too soon it will not ripen and will taste immature, while a fruit left too long will become soft or off-flavoured.

In a European January and February, there are plenty of late maturing fruit to tempt the palate: great examples are late mandarins such as Clemenvilla (Suntina), Nour and Nadorcott, or oranges such as Navels and Navellates, all of which have a depth of flavour not found in the main season varieties. Then there are the plums and other stone fruit from South Africa which are becoming more interesting and reliable, and the late mangoes from Brazil which are sweet and juicy, ripening with ease. Grapes are no exception: the South African season has been going since end November, but we now have Sugraone and Thompson white grapes which are sweet and delicious.

All these are examples of great tasting fruit which makes the late winter, and in the European growing season, the late summer, such a interesting time to buy and eat fruit. Truly something to lift the gloom on nondescript days!

Blueberries are said, among other benefits, to improve memory capability, reduce cognitive decline in the elderly, protect against cancers, and act as anti-inflammatory compounds. They are also high in vitamin K, as well as manganese and vitamin C, and low in calories.

The trouble with blueberries is the variation in eating quality that we experience from our retailers. This is not immediately obvious when the fruit is added as a sprinkle over a fruit salad or bowl of muesli or ice cream, but try eating them as a fruit or snack and you will soon notice.

In a recent survey of blueberries from major retailers, all grown in the southern hemisphere, the difference in eating quality was staggering. Many were, frankly, not worth eating, being soft, tasteless or musty, and artificial in flavour. But the best were fantastic: sweet, sharp, packed with flavour and with a slight crunch to the texture: truly irresistible.

There will be many factors influencing the eating experience from freshness, maturity at harvest, to storage conditions and variety (of which there are many), so it is difficult to be categorical on what to look-out for. However, on this occasion varieties Jewel and Duke were best (look closely at the label for the variety name).

HOW TO BUY: It is also worth looking closely at the fruit in the punnet before buying. The best fruit will be a uniform purple with no reddish or pale fruit. There will also be a healthy looking ‘bloom’ to the fruit which looks like a very fine white powder, but is a natural protective cover for the fruit. The berries should be a uniform size and they should move about the punnet reasonably well: not like dried peas, but also not so soft that they stay in place. Obviously, any signs of wrinkling or the tell-tail sign of white mould growth mean leave-well-alone!

With the last few shopping days before Christmas upon us, what is the best fruit to buy for the festive season? There is a good choice, but retailers will be hoping for you to trade-up and spend more, however indulgence doesn’t always mean greater expense.

Here are a few tips on the best tasting fruit to buy for Christmas:

• Clementines: The standard Spanish Clemenule and Moroccan Fina are great at this time of year; sweet, easy to peel and irresistible – buy plenty and look out for offers, but make sure you look at the labels and select these varieties.
• Tangerines: For a more sophisticated taste, better depth and balance of flavour, look out for Spanish Clemenvilla, Turkish Nova or Israeli Suntina; all the same variety and splendid.
• Satsumas:  There is only one variety available, the Owari from Turkey, but it’s plump, juicy and tangy as only a Satsuma can be.
• Oranges: Spanish Navelinas are the best to eat, no competition, but in all stores.
• Grapes: Go for new season Namibian and South African grapes, or Peruvian. All should be good: best to buy loose for value.
• Apricots: The South African season has being going for a while, so apricots should be sweet, if your retailer has taken care!
• Cherries: These are an expensive indulgence, but prices will be coming down as volumes build from Chile.
• Apples: So many to choose from, but Braeburn, Cox, Rubens, Jazz, Gala, Empire, Tentation and Egremont Russet are our favourites.
• Pears: Comice and Sweet Sensation can’t be beaten for Christmas.
• Lychees: An absolute must-have if you can find some at decent prices: perhaps the local market by the box?
• Mangoes: Tricky to buy at the right maturity, go for Keitt or Kent with a bit of ‘give’; or try the delicious Aussie Kensington Pride which ripens quickly.
• Persimmons: Intensely sweet from either Spain or Israel, a real treat to eat hard or soft.

What about making a Christmas Fruit Salad?  Use a base of melon, strawberries and ripe mango or pineapple, spice them up with some tasty Physalis, ripe kiwi and blueberries, or a few red grapes, then a bit of crunch from an apple and a splosh of grenadine, tropical fruit juice or something stronger! The spectrum of yellow, orange, red, purple and green colours will be eye-watering, and the taste is delicious!

PASS THIS MESSAGE TO YOUR FRIENDS and let us know if you have any comments – either directly or via Twitter & Facebook.

For the full Good Fruit Guide Best Fruit Available list, giving you the best of all fruits available now, visit the website: http://goodfruitguide.co.uk

All the best,
Nick
Editor
Email: info@goodfruitguide.co.uk ]]> http://goodfruitguide.co.uk/a-fruitful-christmas/feed 0 http://goodfruitguide.co.uk/early-fruit-buying-days-to-christmas http://goodfruitguide.co.uk/early-fruit-buying-days-to-christmas#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:59:06 +0000 Editor http://goodfruitguide.co.uk/?p=5448 Read More »]]> In the 15 days to Christmas the fruit industry experiences the lull before the storm, gearing up for huge sales in the short period before the big day. But what fruit can you get ahead of the crowds, to save you some of the last minute carrying and worry?

With an eye on the best taste, here are a few tips on safe, early Christmas purchases that will last until the big day:

• Grapefruit: especially Florida Pink, these will easily last in your fruit bowl
• Oranges: Spanish Navelina are at their best, keep cool, but not in the fridge
• Apples: delicious Braeburn, Cox, Jazz, Tentation, Gala, Empire, Egremont Russet and others, all will easily keep in the fridge
• Pears: keep Comice, Concorde and Sweet Sensation in the fridge until Thursday before Chistmas and they will be ripe on the day
• Melons: Yellow Honeydew, Piel de Sapo and Watermelons will easily last in the fruit bowl
• Kiwi Fruit: refrigerate the green Hayward or the Gold kiwi until the 21st, then ripen in your fruit bowl for a Christmas fruit salad
• Mangoes: when bought hard, especially Keitt or Kent, can take 7-10 days to ripen in the fruit bowl, so are safe to buy at the end of this week

Let us know if you have any comments – either directly or via Twitter & Facebook.

Letters to the Editor
November 29 2011

A little help is needed in the Christmas fruit department — can someone explain the differences between them?

Sir, Over the next few weeks we will be offered tangerines, clementines, satsumas and others, to say nothing of small oranges. Who’s to know which is which? I would be grateful if one of your readers could provide a definitive guide.
Alan Kasket
London W14

Such a letter is music to the ears of the Good Fruit Guide! There is no other place to go for the information, and no service that will regularly tell you the best varieties to eat. But even with the right information, there is still work to be done by the hard-pressed shopper as supermarket shelves, as highlighted by Mr Kasket, can be baffling at the best of times.

The answer is to take the recommendation on varieties from the Good Fruit Guide and spend a few moments at the shelf to study the labels. Most pre-packed fruit has the name of the fruit-type (Tangerine, Clementine, Satsuma), but also the name of the variety, and it is the variety that is the crucial factor in buying the best tasting fruit.

It is a little more tricky with loose fruit as there are generally no labels, except on apples and pears. However, the information should be on the box containing the fruit, so staff will be able to help if you can’t find it yourself.

Even better, though, is an excellent system used by Tesco and Sainsbury. Every box of loose fruit has a little tear-off label that neatly fits into the shelf-edge strip. This label has the country of origin and variety information for that fruit, which is very useful for finding out exactly what you are being offered.

It is a legal obligation that the country of origin of the fruit is on display for shoppers, so these labels should be on view. However, staff can unfortunately be rather forgetful and don’t keep them up-to-date. So, if you suspect the wrong info is on display, protest!

I hope this answers Mr Kasket’s specific question, but he would be even better off if he looked for the following:
Clementines of variety Clemenules, Nules or Orogrande, all from Spain
Tangerines of variety Clemenvilla, also from Spain
Satsumas are a choice on one: Owari from Turkey, but good for those who love Satsumas!

In regard to oranges, small ones could well be the South African Valencia Late (or the similar Midknight or Delta). These are fine if you like a tanginess to your oranges, and are great for juicing, but the best eating oranges at the moment are Spanish Navels and Navelinas.

Australia: scientists discover truth in apple eating health proverb

Australian scientists have discovered that regularly eating apples helps lower the risk of heart disease by as much as 10%, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported.

University of Western Australia researchers found apples are rich in a skin pigment called flavonoids, which are beneficial to the heart.

Professor Jonathan Hodgson said this particular compound helped improve circulation, the story reported.

“The high flavonoid apples resulted in an almost doubling of the nitric oxide concentrations and a significant increase in the ability of blood vessels to relax.

“Diets which are higher in these flavonoids are associated with lower risks of heart disease or having a stroke,” he was quoted as saying.

Pink Lady apples were identified as having the highest levels of flavonoids, although other apples also registered high levels of the compound.

May be too few parents look at the Good Fruit Guide, and so too few children get really sumptious fruit with their packed lunch!

When I listed fruit that would be sweet and delicious enough to keep kids interested, I struggled as so many Autumn fruits are quite tangy, needing a more mature palate to be really appreciated. However, this week’s best, irresistible, sweet fruit for lunch-boxes are:

• Clementines: stick to Nadorcott or Or or HoneyGold from South Africa & Peru for the time-being – sweet & flavoursome.
• Oranges: Navel or Cambria or Lane Lates from South Africa – sweet and juicy.
• Grapes: Thompson or Crimson or Autumn Royal seedless – all good, easy and irrisistible.
• Apples: there are plenty of tangy new season varieties – for sweetness, try Zari or Rubens or Gala or Spartan.
• Pears: Concorde or Rocha are the best for lunch boxes – delicious, even when crisp and hard.
• Bananas: obvious! Perhaps try tiny Bananitos for a treat (only in Asda).
• Figs: Turkish Bursa figs are really delicious – get them soft and dark!
• Kiwifruit: New Zealand or Chilean are good; Gold kiwi is delicious – needs to soften.
• Kiwiberry: spectacular bite-sized, smooth-skinned kiwi’s, though a little pricey.
• Persimmon: new season started from Spain – sweet and sumptious.

(The Good Fruit Guide Newsletter, 7th October, 2011)
Editor

Hundreds of events are organised around the UK to celebrate the apple, particularly the English apple. The focus is on protecting the diversity of our apple orchard heritage, and on promoting local distinctiveness.

Apples day is one of a number of events organised and promoted by Common Ground, the Environmental Charity of the Year, 2010.

For more details visit:
www.commonground.org.uk
www.england-in-particular.info – Apple Day, 2010