Information - Fruit

Ackee
Is the national fruit of Jamaica. It is best known in the caribbean dish of ackee and saltfish. Although it is a fruit it is traditionally sauteed and eaten with fish.
The ackee has an orangey coloured skin, with creamy flesh and black seeds.

Apples - Are a member of the rose family!
Britain has a wealth of famous and wonderful apples, including Bramleys, Cox's Orange Pippins, Egremont Russett, Gala, Granny Smiths.
They are best frozen down in composite dishes or in sauces or purees.
Spruce up an apple sauce with a little cinnamon for crumbles, pies and sauces, or try star anise or vanilla when poaching.
For savoury baked apples, stuff the cored apples with a savoury mixture of fresh breadcrumbs, chopped onion, grated lemon rind and chopped fresh sage, bake with the pork.

Bramley Seedlings- the most famous and best cooking apple of all, these cannot be beaten for making sauces, stewing and desserts in general but never try to eat them raw, they are so sour. It id said that they originate from Nottinghamshire in England. They are the only apple to break down easily, when cooked with no effort to become soft, light and even fluffy. When selecting look for smooth, shiny skinned blemish and 100% bruise free apples with the stalk still attached.

Cox's Orange Pippins - the king of the eating apple. they are crisp and have a wonderful clean taste. They are best eaten raw (on their own or with a great chunk of cheddar cheese) or they can be cooked successfully especially making baked apples where the shape has to be retained. When selecting look for smooth, shiny skinned and blemish and 100% bruise free apples with the stalk still attached.

Apricots - When chosing this gorgeous versatile fruit always smell first because the stronger the smell the better the sweet taste.
They are a good source of iron in the diet and should be eaten with a food rich in vitamin C so that the iron can be absorbed by the body properly.
To spice up apricots, try poaching them with broken cinnamon stick.

Bananas - Ones with blackened skins mash better and tend to have a deeper flavour and as a bonus they tend to be cheaper.
The only drawback with bananas is that they do go brown when peeled, so serve them as soon as possible unless they are baked or part of a composite dish.

Blackberries - Are one of the last of the soft summer fruits to come into season. Cultivated blackberries last longer when picked than the wild ones.
They are packed full of vitamin C which is lost during cooking, the seeds are good for you as they are full of fibre.
Look for ones that are plump as these tend to be juicier, they should also be dark, which is an indicator of sweetness, they should be firm and not hard or soft.
To make sure they are not harbouring any bugs rinse under the tap and then soak for a few minutes in salted cold water, rinse and then use.
Fairly versatile fruit, can be eaten raw (if you like the pips) or used in baking, cooking and jam making.

Blackcurrants - Who in Britain is not familiar with the ubiquitous Ribena drink, hot in the winter and chilled in the summer?
These are wonderful tiny black fruits packed full of vitamin C and the anti-oxidant anthocyanin.
They are useful for combatting eyestrain as well as allegedly helping Alzheimers disease sufferes.


Blueberries - Are classed as a modern superfood, due to their high phytochemical levels, which can help to protect the body against heart disease, type 2 diabetes, ageing and certain types of cancers.
Fairly versatile fruit, they can be eaten raw, and in baking and cooking.

Boysenberries - These dark fruits come from thorny canes, so beware if picking fresh ones. They are a cross between the blackberry, loganberry and the raspberry and taste similar to wild blackberries.

Breadfruit - Is a large oval shaped green skinned, cream fleshed fruit from the caribbean that is used as a vegetable. It can be boiled, fried or roasted.

Bullaces - These are a wild form of the plum and although they have a good flavour they are far too bitter to be eaten raw.
These have a high pectin content and are therefore ideal for making fruit butters and jellies which can be served with rich hot or cold meats.

Cherries - are exceedingly good for you. 10 make 1 portion of fruit. They are high in potassium vitamins B and C.

Picota cherries are very dark and come from western Spain and tend to be matured longer than other varieties. These have no stalk.

Clementines - A member of the orange citrus family.
This is a variety of the chinese fruit the mandarin. They are seedless and so easy to peel and segment with the bonus of not much pith too.
Clementines contain fibre (2.5%), potassium (200mg), vitamin A (1% of RDA), vitamin C (145% of RDA).
When selecting avoid ones with patches that are weepy (they may have been injected with water) and have puffy skin.
These do not freeze well.

Cranberries - These are hard, bitter, small red berries which become synonymous with Christmas festive entertaining. They are extreemly versatile, they can be used in juices, sauces, baking, desserts and chutneys.
American sailors used to carry them aboard thier ships to help prevent scurvy as they are rich in vitamin C.
These are best frozen in composite dishes or as a sauce.

Damsons - Are a member of the plum family. They are small, oval shaped and purple with a sweet fruit surrounded by a bitter skin and are finicky to prepare, but they are worth it.
Damsons can be eaten raw or are much better cooked in puddings and preserves.
It is said that the Roman armies brought this fruit to the British Islands.
Season - late August to late September.

Elderberries - Used mainly for making home brewed wine.

Figs - Are a wonderful versatile fruit which can be eaten on their own, as a starter, a main course a dessert or part of a cheese and fruit board, raw or cooked.
When selecting, look for ones with are plump and have unbroken and undamaged skins, they should not be firm or extreemely soft.
They can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days but are more flavourful if they are eaten at room temperature.
Figs contain a lot of natural sugar this can help against adult diabetes, psoralen which is helpful in treating some skin coonditions. Also they han help to regulate the bodies digestion due to their high fibre content.
Figs can be frozen but they tend to become very mushy when defrosted which makes them ideal for making jam.
A better way to preserve them is to dry them in the oven, which makes them even sweeter and gives them a richer flavour too.

Gooseberries - Come in 3 colours green, red and white. They need to be top and tailed before eating. The green are so tart they taste better cooked whereas the red and white are sweet enough to eat on their own, raw. They can be served with mackeral (to cut the oiliness of it) as well as in sweet dishes.

Greengages - are a sweet, small, round yellowy green member of the plum family and can be substituted for plums in recipes.
Greengages can be eaten raw (especially at room temperature) or cooked in puddings and preserves.
Main season is from July to September.

Japanese Pear - see nashi pear.

Japanese Wineberries - These are a bright orange berry that turn crimson when ripe. They have a grape type flavour.

Lemons - are a member of the citrus family. Years ago they were famously used by sailors on long voyages to prevent them getting scurvy because of their high vitamin C content.
To obtain more juice from a lemon simply warm it by rubbing them between the palms of your hands or by placing them in a microwave for about 10 - 15 seconds.
The lemons grown in sicily are the best quality.
To remove the wax coating which some people put on the skins can be easily removed by rubbing them under running them under hot water.
A little lemon juice added to a saucepan of water for poaching an egg helps the protein to solidify.
Lemon juice can be frozen into ice cubes to add more flavour to drinks.
These do not freeze well.

Limes - are a member of the citrus fruits family. They were famously used by the mariners on long voyagers to prevent them from contracting scurvy due to their high content of vitamin C, hence the nickname of the British, Limeys.
To obtain more juice from a lime either roll it over a kitchen surface, vigourously in the palms of your hands or in a microwave ovendrinks.
They do not freeze for 10 - 15 seconds.
Some come with a wax coating this can be removed easily by rubbing them under running hot water. .
Lime juice can be frozen into ice cubes to add excellect flavour to well.

Loganberries - These are a sharp long red fruit which are a cross between the blackberry and the raspberry. Superb for cooking.

Mandarins - are a member of the citrus family of fruits and are very high in vitamin C.

Melons - Are a wondedrful and versatile fruit, not only can they be eaten on their own but in fruit salad, granita, savoury salads and sorbets. Not forgetting the ubiquitous starter of slices of melon wrapped up in Parma ham.
When purchasing check for ripeness by smelling the melon, if it smells good then it will taste good. Avoid ones with blemishes and are either very soft or fery firm.
Freezing is never successful on their own because of their high water content, they will be mushy when defrosted.

Canteloupe - these have a honey flavour and are orange fleshed.

Charentais - these have a honey flavour and have a wonderful orange flesh.

Galia - Has a yellow skin with a subtle pale green inside.

Honeydew - these are an oval shaped, sweet, yellow melon.

Watermelon - these are the most popular melon they have a dark green skin and bright red insides with large black seeds.

Mirabelles - are a member of the plum family. They are small with a yellow skin and are extreemly sweet and juicy.
These can be eaten raw (at room temperature) or cooked in puddings and preserves.
Season - late July to September.

Nashi Pear - is also known as the Japanese Pear. It has the same shape as a large russet apple.
It is sweeter and softer than the european varieties.
The nashi pear is best eaten raw as it does not cook well because of the high water content.

Nectarines - These furry covered soft fruits are a variety of peach mixed with plums.
They are high in vitamins A, B and C.
Dieters prefer them to peaches as they have less calories.

Olives
Gaeta - are black Italian olives which come in dried and in brine.
Kalamata - hail from Kalamata in Greece, they are black, almond shaped olives with a strong flavour.
Lucques - Also known as the lucques royal, lucques vert and petites licques and are mainly grown in Carcasonne, France.
They are green and crescent shaped with a buttery flavour that is quite mild..
These do not freeze well.

Oranges - Are a member of the citrus family of fruits.
They are high in fibre (3g), potassium 250mg), vitamin a (2% of RDA) and vitamin C (130% of RDA).
Sometimes they are coated with wax, this is easily removed by rubbing them under hot running water.
To obtain more juice from them simply rub them on a kitchen work surface, rubbing quite hard in the palms of the hands or in a microwave for 10 - 15 seconds.

Peaches - Were originally called the Persian Apple because when translated from the Persion version melon perskon. They are a good source of vitamins a and c., potassium and fibre. When purchasing look for ripe peaches because they do not ripen much after picking so try to avoid ones that are tinged with green, remembering that red ones are not always the most ripe. Also the area around the stem should be a creamy yellowish colour. Always touch them gently, peaches should give a little but neither be firm nor soft. Prime condition lasts for only 3 - 4 days. They deteriorate rapidly when bruised. Once at home do not store them in the fridge for long as the flesh can go powdery, but always before eating allow them to come to room temperature for the most superior flavour.
These freeze well in a sugar syrup or as a puree or part of a composite dish.

Pears - Are unbelieveably a member of the rose family!
Are at their very best in the late british summertime and are wonderfully versatile they can be raw and cooked in sweet and savoury dishes as well as in preserves.
They are a good source of fibre and vitamin C.
These freeze well as a composite dish or as a sauce.
They make an ideal snack with some cheese or chocolate.
When poaching, try poaching in lemonade instead of water and sugar for a change, or for adults try white or red wine.

Concorde Pears - have an earth smell and a sweet flavour.

Conference Pears - Are mainly grown in Great Britain and are the most popular variety.
When selecting choose those which are firm and need ripening, this can be done in the fridge or even quicker in the fruit bowl.

Forelle Pears - come into season in mid October, they are sweet and very juicy and have a pink blush to their skin.

Persimon - This is a light yellow to dark orange, shiny tomato shaped fruit.
It is quite versatile to use in fruit salads, desserts, cakes, and spicy oriental dishes.
The soluble fibres help to speed up the clearance of alcahol in the bloodstream.

Physalis - is a small orangey/yellow seedy bitter fruit found inside a papery inedible membrane.
It is wonderful for preserving due to its high pectin content.

Plums - Plums are an excellent source of vitamin c, fibre and potassium.
The most common is the Victoria Plum. it is versatile and can be eaten raw or used in cooking, jam and chutney making.
They come with various degrees of sweetness from the very sweet to the extreemly tart and vary in colour from pale yellow to green to red and purple.
When purchasing select heavy ones that are plump and just slightly soft but deffinately not squidgy. Ripe ones are perfect for eating whereas underipe ones are superb for cooking. To test for ripeness just gently squueze them, if they feel hard they are unripe, if they give slightly they are ripe and if they are soft they are over ripe.
Plums can be stored in the fridge to slow the ripening process but for the best flavour bring them to room temperature when eating them raw.
British plums are at their very best in August although the season runs from August to early October.
They have a range of uses from eating raw on their own, in fruit salads and cakes, or when cooked in jams, sauces, pies and tarts.
These freeze quite well in stock syrup and in sauces and composite dishes.

Pomegranates - These wonderful scarlet red seeds (there are approximately 600 of them per fruit) and are full of iron and vitamin C. They are at their very best in December.
They are simple to prepare, simply soll the fruit on a hard surface (this loosens the flesh), cut in half and simply spoon the seeds out. Or as they did in the sixties peel the skin back and use a sterilised pin. Try to avoid the inside creamy white pith as this is very bitter.
To obtain pomegranate juice do as before but scoop out the seeds into a sieve placed over a bowl and press with a spoon.
Beware though the juice does stain your clothes - so much so that the pomegranate is used in the natural dying of fabrics.

Raspberries - These wonderful berries are high in citamins A and C, fibre, iron and potassium and wonderfully versatile, they can be enjoyed raw, or cooked or preserved.
At one time they were used medicinally for curing sore eyes, sore throats and to clean teeth.
The canny scots used to send the raspberries by overnight train to Covent Garden in London on what became known as the "Raspberry Special" in the 1950's.
A versatile fruit, they can be eaten simply washed and dried on their own or accompanied by cream and ice cream, or made into jam, sauces, purees, yogurt, or even to liven up a summer champagne cocktail, not many can turn away from a raspberry cake or tart.
These can be frozen individually, in sugar, in syrup, a puree or as part of a composite dish.

Redcurrants - These wonderful tiny and tangy red berries are a wonderful source of potassium and fibre.
The easiest way of taking these off the stalk is to hold the stalk at the top and run a forks tine down the stalk, the berries will fall off into the waiting receptical.

Satsumas - These are a variety of tangerine and belong to the citrus family of fruits.
As with all citrus fruits they are rich in vitamin c.
These are wonderful to eat on their own or in a fruit salad and can even be squeezed for their juice.
Satsumas contain fibre (2g), potassium (200mg), vitamin A (2% of RDA), vitamin C (110% of RDA.
Only two of these is a portion of fruit a day.
These do not freeze well.

Sloes - Are small and dark purple in colour, they are a wild fruit and a member of the plum family and are most famous for making sloe gin.
Unfortunately they are far to bitter to eat raw but their excellent flavour is ideal for making sloe gin and occasionally cooking.

Soursop
Is a caribbean dark green skinned fruit which is rich in vitamins. It can be eaten raw or cooked and used in puddings or drunk as a fruit juice.

Strawberries - Are the epitomy of the English summer. Although the continental ones can be good there is nothing to beat the taste of the ripe, red juicy home grown strawberry (except to have it with double cream).
They are versatile, they can be eaten raw or cooked or preserved.

Sunberries - These large, deep red fruits are a cross between the blackberry and the raspberry and resemble the loganberry.

Tangerines - Are a member of the citrus family of fruits.
They contain fibre (2%), potassium (160mg), vitamin A (6% of RDA) and vitamin C (45% of RDA).

Tayberries - The large, sweet and subtle flavoured fruits are a cross between the blackberry and the raspberry.

Tummelberrries - These fruits are grown in colder climates, similar to the tayberry but less sweet. They taste similarly like loganberries and are a cross between the blackberry and the raspberry.