Week 09, 2016
TASTIEST FRUIT THIS WEEK:
- Mandarins – Golden Nugget, Orri and Nadorcott
FOUR FRUIT with FABULOUS FLAVOUR:
- Blood Oranges –Tarocco from Sicily
- Grapes – Sweet Celebration, Sable and Melody from South Africa
- Avocado – Pinkerton from Israel
- Grapefruit – Florida Pink Ruby Red
Mandarins: The late season mandarins are starting to lose their acid balance, but still remain sweet and attractive. Pick of the bunch are Golden Nugget (Asda), Murcott (if you can find them), Nadorcott (all stores) and Israeli Orri (seen in Tesco & Waitrose).
Oranges: Italian blood oranges continue to be available and are still good, particularly Tarocco. Spanish Navel oranges, such as Lane Late are also very tasty.
Grapes: Grapes are in transition as supplies from Chile and India are becoming available, so there is a range of eating experiences to sample. Sweet Celebration, Sable and Melody from South Africa continue to be my favourites, but I’ve had some lovely Sugraone and Thompson green grapes from Chile.
Avocado: Green-skinned Pinkerton from Israel is on sale consistently in Waitrose and 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.
Grapefruit: The Florida Pink, usually variety Ruby Red, is sweet, juicy, flavoursome, and available in most stores at decent prices.
OTHER NEWS:
Plums: South African FlavorKing plums is probably still the best plum available. However, don’t discount other varieties: I’ve had some very satisfying Laetitia, which have been sweet and succulent after a week in the fruit bowl (remember to let them soften properly, and even wrinkle a bit!).
Apples: As other fruit types move on in their seasons, northern hemisphere apples are still in great condition due to modern storage techniques. The only noticeable change is a slight reduction in numbers of varieties on sale as volumes of some of the newer varieties dwindle.
Pears: Comice and Rocha are still widely available, but it’s becoming a bit of a mission to find Abaté Fétèl and Concorde (seen occasionally in Asda, Lidl and Sainsburys).
Mango: The delicious Thai mango, Nam Dok Mae, has started in M&S: quite a treat at £2.50!