Week 08, 2016
TASTIEST FRUIT THIS WEEK:
- Plums – FlavorKing from South Africa
FOUR FRUIT with FABULOUS FLAVOUR:
- Blood Oranges – Ippolito Tarocco from Sicily
- Mandarins – Murcott and Nadorcott from Spain and Morocco
- Black Grapes – South African Sable and Melody
- Avocado – Pinkerton from Israel
Plums: South African FlavorKing plums are well-priced and probably the best plum available, though this is a good time generally for red and yellow South African plums (e.g Laetitia, Sungold, etc). Remember to let them soften properly in your fruit bowl to get the best sweetness and succulence (it may take a week!).
Oranges: Italian blood oranges have been available for a few weeks and are still fabulous, particularly Tarocco, and especially Ippolito Tarocco (seen in Waitrose). Italian Moro and Spanish Sanguinelli are also on sale: good oranges, though not quite up to the same sublime standard.
Mandarins: Murcott from Spain are delicious with thin, deep orange peel, and intensely sweet flesh, but unfortunately not widely on sale just yet (seen recently in Aldi). However, Nadorcott and Queen mandarins are also a treat, and available in most stores.
Grapes: Black grapes, Sable and Melody continue to be the best tasting available, but red grapes, Crimson, Sweet Celebration and Krissy, are also delicious, all from South Africa.
Green grapes from Chile (Thompson and Sugraone) are becoming more common as the South African supplies diminish, and the odd early sample of Indian Thompson has also been spotted: a sign of seasonal change to come!
Avocado: Pinkerton (from Israel) is the only green-skin avocado on sale (consistently stocked in Waitrose, occasionally in Sainsbury and Tesco). It has a lighter, more refreshing texture and flavour than some Hass, particularly those in late season (e.g. Chile) which have a denseness to the flesh.
OTHER NEWS:
Grapefruit: The Florida Pink, usually variety Ruby Red, is sweet, juicy, flavoursome, and available in most stores at decent prices.
Apples: Even in less affluent parts of the country, supermarkets are offering nearly 30 varieties of apples for sale, with 16 or so in an individual large store
I was interested to see English Empire apples on sale in Asda. This is great variety, but generally best from New York and Ontario states (in Morrisons and Tesco) where the trees benefit from the deeply cold winters. The Kentish version is pretty good though, and well worth a try.
Figs: South Africa Evita figs are widely available and reasonable value at the moment. Make sure they are well coloured with minimal lighter spots. They are best eaten when tender and soft to touch.
Pears: Abaté Fétèl, Concorde, Comice and Rocha are great pears, still widely available.
Those who like the light fragrance of Williams pears, will be interested to note that the first South African Williams Bon Cretian are appearing.
Mango: There is a choice of one mango only at present: variety Kent from Peru. These are sweet, juicy, plump, but not the most flavoursome of mangoes. However, being well advanced in the season, they are reliable, mature and ripening evenly, so worth buying.
Melons: The winter melons range from South and Central America has just had Charantais added to the list. Find them in Sainsburys, from Costa Rica.
©Good Fruit Guide 2016. Recommendations on fruit varieties and types with the very best taste are personal to the editor of Good Fruit Guide, and do not attempt to be exhaustive or supported by verifiable consumer research. The highlighting of fruit with the very best taste in the opinion of the editor is not intended as a judgement on the taste of varieties and types of fruit not mentioned.