Best European Tropical Fruit Types
Plátano de Canarias are Cavendish variety bananas, grown in the archipelago of the Canary Islands. The distinctive feature of these bananas are the brown flecks on their bright yellow skin due to the higher activity of enzymes in this variety which help ripen the fruit faster.
The fruits are graded by shape and are at least 14 cm long. Plátano de Canarias have an intense and sweet flavor, which is the result of its high sugar and low starch content. Nutritionally, these bananas contain more potassium and phosphorus and less sodium and calcium than those grown elsewhere.
Grown on the Portuguese Azores island of São Miguel, the Ananás dos Açores is a pineapple of the Cayene variety. It is produced on the island in more than 6,000 glass greenhouses using traditional cultivation techniques.
These pineapples can only be harvested two years from after they are planted. The Azorean pineapple has been grown in São Miguel since the 1840s, and it has enjoyed widespread popularity throughout Europe ever since. This particular varietal of pineapple has a bright orange skin, yellow flesh, and a small crown.
THE BEST Ananás dos Açores Pineapples
Cavendish banana is the most widely grown and consumed type of banana in the world today. Named after William Cavendish, the 6th Duke of Cavendish, who is credited with having propagated the plant from cuttings in his greenhouse in England in the 19th century, the variety itself originated from Southeast Asia.
It was introduced to other parts of the world, including the Canary Islands, from where it was later exported to the Americas and became a staple in global agriculture. Cavendish bananas are known for their distinct features: they are medium-sized, have a thick, bright yellow skin when ripe, and are sweet with a creamy texture.
VARIATIONS OF Cavendish banana
Queen Victoria is a pineapple variety originating from the French island territory of Réunion, located in the Indian Ocean. These pineapples are very small, but they make up for it with their intense fragrance and sweet flavor. The flesh is light yellow, and the core is soft.
They're harvested from December to January and were introduced to the island in 1668. Due to the fruity and sweet flavors, these pineapples are considered to be the best in the world. Queen Victorias are eaten as they are or used in ice creams, desserts, and cakes.
Fragosika is a type of plant, a prickly pear cactus that produces flavorful fruit that’s packed with healthy nutrients and vitamins. This plant thrives throughout the Aegean islands, and on the island of Symi, fragosika has often been dubbed the banana of the island.
Islanders have long been acquainted with this fruit, and they’ve included it in their daily diet in many forms - fresh, dried, or made into various sweet specialties. One popular Symian sweet treat that is based on this fruit is called misokofti, a type of creamy, pudding-like dessert.
This fruit, also known as the São Miguel passion fruit, is the fruit of a red Passiflora species that hails from the Azores. The fruit consists of a husk, a juicy pulp, and seeds. Grown in greenhouses in light and fertile soil and protected from the wind, this passion fruit is hand-harvested from December to March and from July to October.
It has an intense aroma, a hard, rough purpleish skin, and a light yellow, juicy pulp with a slightly sour flavor. It is commonly eaten fresh or used in desserts, fruit juices, and liqueurs, such as the Licor de Maracuja widely produced by the inhabitants of the Azores.
Chirimoya de la Costa tropical de Granada-Málaga are cherimoya fruits of the Fino de Jete variety grown in the provinces of Granada and Málaga. This fruit is also known as 'the custard apple' due to its sweet flavor and creamy texture.
Chirimoya is light green on the outside, white on the inside with taste reminiscent of bananas, pineapple, peach, and strawberry. This fruit is usually eaten with a spoon, fresh and chilled. Chirimoya de la Costa tropical de Granada-Málaga is a very delicate, perishable fruit so every step of production is done with extreme care.
Kaki Ribera del Xúquer is the persimmon fruit grown in the Province of Valencia. This fruit was brought to Europe, and consequently to Spain, in the 19th century from China, where it had been cultivated since the 8th century. Persimmons grown in this region are larger in size and have a more pointed shape.
Kaki Ribera del Xúquer is deep red, soft and has a very sweet, caramel flavor. This variety of persimmons does not contain any seeds and is very easy to peel. Because of the special method growers use to remove the bitterness and develop full flavor, this fruit can be picked before it is completely ripe and sold while its flesh is still firm.
Originally found in the Andes, this hardy, exotic fruit has been grown on the island of Madeira for centuries thanks to the island's exceptionally favorable weather conditions. The Anona da Madeira, a fruit resembling an artichoke, is a fine and tender fruit with a white, sweet pulp, and its velvety texture and unique flavor resembles that of bananas, pineapples, and strawberries.
This odd-looking fruit is wildly popular among the local population and tourists alike.
Gros Michel banana, sometimes known as "Big Mike," was the primary banana cultivar exported to the United States and Europe throughout the first half of the 20th century.
It is known for its excellent taste, size, and resistance to handling and transportation, making it the dominant export banana until the 1950s. Gros Michel is larger, has a thicker skin, and, by many accounts, a sweeter and more flavorful taste than the Cavendish variety, which replaced it as the most widely exported banana.
Best European Tropical Fruit Producers
Plantação de Ananás dos Açores refers to the traditional cultivation of pineapples on the Portuguese island of São Miguel in the Azores. Unlike tropical pineapples, Azorean pineapples are grown in greenhouses to protect them from the Atlantic climate, using natural farming techniques.
This unique production method results in a smaller, sweeter, and more aromatic pineapple compared to other varieties. The cultivation process takes around two years, from planting to harvest, ensuring the fruit's exceptional flavor and quality. Recognized as a regional delicacy, Ananás dos Açores is often used in gourmet cuisine and is protected by a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification.
BEST Plantação de Ananás dos Açores Fruits (types and products)
Ananás Santo António is a premium brand under the management of Casa Agrícola Bernardo Cabral, Lda., a company dedicated to the production and distribution of organic products exclusively from the Azores. Founded in 1911 by the Machado family, the company underwent a pivotal change in ownership during the 1940s when Manuel Bernardo Cabral acquired it, ensuring its place as a family-run business ever since.
Located on São Miguel Island, Ananás Santo António specializes in cultivating pineapples using traditional greenhouse methods, a hallmark of the Azorean agricultural heritage. This meticulous approach not only preserves the natural ecosystem but also produces pineapples of exceptional quality and flavor.
BEST Ananás Santo António Fruits (types and products)
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