Best Western American Fruits (types and products) Types
Tangelo is an evergreen tree with dense foliage that was first cultivated in Florida and southern California in 1897 as a cross between the Mandarin orange or a tangerine and either the pomelo or the grapefruit. Nowadays, it’s cultivated in tropical and subtropical climates.
The fruit is deep orange in color, with juicy and aromatic pulp that’s subacid to sweet in flavor. When ripe, fresh tangelo is usually eaten out of hand or used in fruit salads. It can also be used to make marmalades, desserts, juices, and sauces.
Mission figs are varieties of figs that were introduced to the United States in 1768, when Franciscan missionaries cultivated it in San Diego, hence their other name, Franciscana. They're dark-skinned, which is why they're also called black Mission figs.
When fully ripe, the figs have a dark pink flesh and a pleasant honey flavor. They're also available in dried versions, when the figs are still relatively moist and sweet. The first crop is available in early summer, while the second one is available from late summer through October.
Huckleberries are indigenous North American berries that grow wild throughout the mountainous areas of the northwestern United States and Canada. The berries vary in size and color depending on the species and may come in bright red, blue, dark purple, black, or even yellow to white color.
Often compared to their cultivated cousins, blueberries, the wild huckleberry species are part of the Vaccinium genus and Gaylussacia genus, and they are distinguished by a robust and sweet-tart flavor, thick skin, and a slightly crunchy texture coming from the seeds contained in the berries.
Eureka is a lemon variety that originates from Los Angeles, California, 1858, as a descendant of the Italian Lunario lemon. It was introduced to the public by Thomas Garey in 1877. The lemons are large and elongated, with a vibrant yellow skin and a rind that's loaded with essential oils and an intensely fragrant aroma.
The flesh is juicy with few to no seeds, while the flavors are tangy, tart, and acidic. It's recommended to use them in sweet and savory dishes such as lemon meringue pie, marmalades, dressings, and marinades. They pair well with seafood, poultry, and tea.
Idared is an apple variety that was first developed in Idaho. It's a cross between the Jonathan and Wagener breeds. The apples are medium-sized with a bright red and green-red color. The flesh is juicy, crisp, and firm, while the flavors are sweet, tart, aromatic, and refreshing.
Available from fall through early summer, Idared apples are great for cooking and baking because they hold their shape very well. They can also be eaten raw, added to salads, or paired with strong blue cheese.
Cosmic Crisp (known to experts as WA 38) is an American apple variety that's a cross between Honeycrisp and Enterprise. Grown in Washington State orchards, the apples are large, red, crunchy, juicy, acidic, and sweet.
They can be eaten as they are or baked. These apples ripen more uniformly than other apple varieties, and once picked, they even brown more slowly than the other apples. Another key factor is their lengthy shelf life – apparently, Cosmic Crisp apples can stay fresh in the fridge for up to a year!
The Saskatoon berry (lat. Amelanchier alnifolia) is a type of small, sweet berry native to North America, specifically found in the Canadian prairies, the Northwestern United States, and Alaska.
The berries are purplish-blue in color and resemble blueberries in size and appearance. However, their taste is somewhat unique, described as sweet and nutty with a hint of almond flavor due to the small amount of cyanogenic glycosides they contain.
Cameo is an apple variety originating from Dryden, Washington, when it was discovered in 1987 by the Caudle family. It is believed that these apples are a cross between Red Delicious and Golden Delicious, but the parentage is still uncertain.
The apples are covered in red strips and the skin is thin and delicate. The flesh is creamy and dense, with a juicy and crisp texture. The flavor is sweet and tart with notes of citrus and honey. Available from late fall through early spring, Cameo apples are typically used in sweet and savory dishes such as cobblers, quiches, sandwiches, and salads.
Hawaii is an American apple variety that was introduced as a cross between Gravenstein and Golden Delicious in Sebastopol, California around 1945. The apples are large and round, and their clear yellow skin is waxy to the touch. Beneath the skin, the texture of the flesh is crisp.
These apples have a distinctive pineapple flavor, and when grown in western regions, they become exceptionally sweet. Hawaii apples ripen in late fall, and it’s recommended to use them in desserts and baked dishes.
Pink Pearl is an American apple variety that was developed in Eureka, California as a seedling of Surprise, which is one of its parents. The apples date back to 1944 when they were introduced to the market by Albert Etter, a plant breeder.
The apples are medium-sized with a creamy, pale green skin that bruises easily. Beneath it, the texture of the unusually pink flesh is crisp and fine-grained. The flavors are balanced between sweet and tart, but they vary with the seasons and the climate.
Best Western American Fruits (types and products) Producers
Best Western American Fruits (types and products)
AWARDS
Great Taste Awards - 2 stars
2024
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