Posts Tagged “gala”

Ambrosia: One of the Newer Variety Apples

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    • “The Ambrosia apple variety has a creamy flesh and wonderful taste …right up there with Royal Gala and Braeburn. This apple doesn’t oxidize or turn brown quickly so it’s a nice ingredient for your favourite fruit salad!” says Pete Luckett, host of the Food Network’s show The Food Hunter.
    • Although Ambrosia is a sweet apple, official taste comparisons have proved that even the most ardent fans of tart apples will be won over by its juiciness and crunchy texture.

Ambrosia is a low-acid apple, which makes it easier for kids and older people to digest.

  • Once you have purchased Ambrosia apples, you should store them in the refrigerator crisper to ensure that they retain their flavor and texture.
  • Three medium Ambrosia apples equal about 450g (1lb). One medium apple yields about 175ml (3/4 cup) of sliced apples.
  • In an article written for the Vancouver Province newspaper, Stephen Wong, a leading Vancouver food consultant and chef, rated the Ambrosia 9 out of 10 for texture, juiciness, flavour, and general attributes.
  • Ambrosia apples are now being grown by farmers in North America, Europe, Chile and New Zealand, and are available to purchase in stores around the world.
  • In order to extend their availability beyond harvest time, Ambrosia apples are “put to sleep” in Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage. CA storage takes cold storage a step further by lowering the temperature and the oxygen levels, so fruit can be stored for six months or more and remain harvest fresh.
  • Ambrosias, like other apples, are loaded with health giving properties such as pectin, a cholesterol-lowering soluble fibre, and anti-oxidants, which are good for preventing heart disease.
  • The original Ambrosia apple tree was grown from a chance seedling. Commercially viable chance seedlings are extremely rare; less than a dozen of these chance seedlings have found their way to market in the past 50 years.
  • Ambrosia means “food of the gods” as depicted in ancient Greek mythology. The name was chosen by Wilfrid Mennell, who, with his wife Sally, discovered the original Ambrosia apple tree in their orchard in the Similkameen Valley of British Columbia.
  • When first introduced to the public at the annual Apple Festival in Vancouver, British Columbia, Ambrosia met with instant acclaim and has been a favourite of the Festival ever since.

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New Variety is a Cross Between Gala and Braeburn

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Yakima, Wash. – With the start of fall, apples are showing up in the produce aisle in a big way. Sweetie™, an intensely sweet and crunchy new apple variety from FirstFruits of Washington, will be making an appearance at retail this September.

First planted in New Zealand, Sweetie™ is now grown in Wash. State by Broetje Orchards and is sold by FirstFruits Marketing. Sweetie™ combines the best attributes of two parents–Gala’s excellent sugars alongside the firm-crisp texture of Braeburn, but with a unique flavor of its own. Characteristic with its name, Sweetie™ leads the pack of varieties when it comes to sweetness.

True to the Broetje growing philosophy, Sweetie™ stands next to Opal® as an example of new variety innovation and top standards for flavor. It was first planted as a 30-acre test block in Prescott, Wash. Over the past two years, additional blocks have been planted as trees have been determined to yield good quality fruit and consumer response for the variety has been positive.

Similar to Opal®, Sweetie™ was released in limited markets where consumer response could be measured. Initial response has been very favorable, especially amongst consumers of Gala or Fuji, whose palate tends to like a sweeter apple.

“We are always looking for new varieties that will resonate with consumers to bring to our customers. After our huge success with Opal® we knew we would have to follow with something great, and I think we have found it in Sweetie™,” remarked Andy Tudor, marketing manager at FirstFruits of Washington.

“Launching a new variety is a very complex process,” continued Tudor. “The fruit needs to be grower friendly, have a good shelf life and appearance, and have some kind of unique quality to get people to try it. Sweetie™ has all of those characteristics and I believe we have a winner once again.”

These apples are full of flavor, highlighted by an intense sweet taste and crunchy texture. It’s not just their great taste, but Sweeties’ beautiful red blush on a golden-green skin, which makes them stand out from other varieties.

Sweetie™ was granted its own PLU #3628, and will be featured in the new product showcase at the PMA Fresh Summit Convention and Expo in October in Anaheim, CA. 

FirstFruits Marketing of Washington is a collaborative apple marketing company owned by growers. These growers share a commitment to producing high quality fruit while balancing the demands of purpose, people, planet and profit so that a portion of profits can be donated to non-profit missions supporting the underserved. For more information, visit www.firstfruits.com.

Source: FirstFruits Marketing of Washington

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Kanzi Apple New to U.S.

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Looking to try something new to help fight the winter doldrums?  Come mid-February the Kanzi apple variety will be introduced to the United States.  It is being grown in Washington state, but is established in Europe.  In fact the Kanzi is the second largest produced apple across the big pond, after the Pink Lady variety.

It is a cross between the gala and braeburn varieties and has a sweet/tart taste.

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