HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES?
Q: How is it possible to have apples readily available for most of the year?
Far from being a ‘forbidden fruit’ there are 2.6 billion apples grown in Australia each year, with the majority being consumed domestically. In recent years the most dominant varieties have been Granny Smith and Pink Lady™, which between them accounted for approximately 55% of total production. However like any food, trends come and go, so here is an overview of the top varieties and what they’re good for.
Pink Lady™ (Cripps Pink): Crisp, fine sweet flesh.
Best for: Cooking(salads, sauces and pies) due to the high sugar content
Background: Cross between Golden Delicious and Lady Williams. To be sold as Pink Lady™ it must meet quality standards set out by the Dept of Agriculture and Food, WA.
Granny Smith: Crisp tart, tangy flavour that gets sweeter as it matures
Best for: Baking, freezing, salads, sauces and pies.
Background: An Australian native discovered in 1868 by “Granny” Anne Smith of Ryde, NSW. One parent is believed to be the French crab apple.
Royal Gala: Juicy and aromatic- slightly sweeter than Delicious apples
Best for: Sauces but is also tasty fresh and in salads
Background: Royal Gala and Gala originated in NZ in the 1930s as a cross between Kidd’s Orange Red and Golden Delicious.
Jonathan: Tangy (mixture of sweet and acid)
Best for: Snacking (early season only) and all purpose cooking
Background: Old fashioned eating variety from the US
Golden Delicious: Sweet and rich
Best for: Eating fresh and baking
Background: Originated in 1912 in West Virginia, USA.
Red Delicious: Refreshing mild sweetness
Best for: Salads and desserts
Background: Originated in Iowa, USA in the early 1870’s
Jonagold: Sweet and juicy
Best for: Cooking- hot or cold dishes.
Background: Originated in New York State in 1968 as a cross between Jonathan and Golden Delicious.
Fuji: Crisp and juicy with sweet honey tones
Best for: Eating fresh, baking and stewing
Background: Fuji originated in Japan where it is a major variety.
Braeburn: Sharp, sweet and juicy
Best for: Desserts and cooking (baking, sauces and salads)
Background: Originated in NZ in the 1950s and is now hugely popular worldwide, thought to be a cross between a Lady Hamilton and Granny Smith.
Sundowner ™ (Cripps Red): Sweet and distinctive
Best for: Eating fresh, also good for baking as it keeps its shape
Background: Cripps Red (sold as Sundowner™) is related to Pink Lady™ and is a cross between Golden Delicious and Lady Williams. Originated in WA.
Seasonal Calendar:
Picking Time 
Available in Store
Source: Aussie Apples
A: Controlled atmosphere storage enables apple growers to store their fruit for long periods without deterioration in freshness and flavour. Much the same as cold storage (i.e. regulated temperature and humidity) controlled atmosphere storage slows the ripening process even further by reducing oxygen and increasing carbon dioxide levels in the air. Early forms of this were used by the Romans who used limestone caves (with high Carbon Dioxide levels) in France to the same effect.
LOST IN TRANSLATION
Q: Peter Piper picked a peck of ‘mangoed’ peppers?
The influence of Asian ingredients and cooking methods has brought an exciting complexity to Australian Cuisine. To prevent these unique flavours getting lost in translation, it is important to learn how to recognise and prepare the varieties of Asian inspired produce increasingly available at the markets.
The green mango is a delicacy in Asia and serves as an example of how an exotic fruit can have varieties that look very similar but have strikingly different uses and flavours. Green eating mangoes can be grated fresh in salads, salted and dried, sliced in vinegar or fish sauces or eaten as a fruit.
Green Mangoes come in two categories: immature and mature. ‘Immature’ green mangoes are picked early and never ripen or become sweet. The skin, flesh and soft stone are all edible and are often used in pickles or chutneys. In contrast, the ‘mature’ green mango is allowed to fully ripen on the tree. The skin thickens and becomes inedible, the flesh becomes firm and the stone develops a hard shell. When mature the flavour and texture is similar to a crisp, tart green apple.
Here is a snapshot of some of the Green Mango varieties available in Australia:
Keow Savoey (Thailand)
Traits: oblong, dark green fruit. Green when ripe with semi-translucent pulp
Use: Considered the best green eating variety in Thailand. Used in salads, curries and chutneys because of its sweet-sour taste and firm texture.
Nam Doc Mai (Thailand)
Traits: almond shaped fruit with white green skin, develops a pink blush when exposed to sun. Green fruit is about ¾ of the size of the ripe fruit
Use: Generally not eaten green in Thailand, Nam Doc Mai in Australia is sold as a mature green or ripe fruit. At its best when the skin takes on a whitish green hue, it has a mild sweet taste, though it can be quite sour when green
Falan (Thailand)
Traits: green, oblong shape fruit with no blush
Use: milder flavour than Keow Savoey and is generally eaten sliced in vinegar or fish sauces
Xoai Tuong- Elephant Mango (Vietnam)
Traits: Oblong shaped. When eaten green, the pulp is crisp with low fibre and is covered with a medium-thick green skin without any blush
Use: The fruit has a strong, sour flavour and is the most popular green eating variety in Vietnam
Raed (Thailand):
Traits: Oblong with a small pointed knob, the ripe fruit and flesh are light yellow
Use: Dual-purpose variety, being eaten green or ripe as a fruit. Rad has a slight sour flavour when eaten green and is very sweet as a ripe fruit
A: When mangoes were first brought from Asia to the American colonies in the 17th Century the lack of refrigeration meant they had to be pickled to survive the journey. Over time, other pickled fruits (especially capsicum) became known as ‘mangoes’. This was so widespread, that by the 18th century the word mango started to be used as a verb meaning ‘to pickle’.
MARKET TOURS
Q: Where does the fresh fruit and vegetable in Sydney come from?
There is no better way to get inspired by fresh produce, than to brave the early morning hustle and bustle of Sydney Markets with an experienced buyer as your guide. With an estimated 2.5 million tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables sold through Sydney Produce Market and Sydney Growers Market annually, knowing the who, what, where and why of the markets, is the key to serving up quality produce all year round.
After more than 35 years navigating produce markets around Australia, Simon George & Sons Director, Damian George is a more than qualified host. Damian’s broad product knowledge and relationships with the wholesalers, makes for a morning packed full of information, banter and fresh flavours.
The Market Tour kicks off at the largest Flower market in Australia before moving on to the functional mayhem of the Produce and Growers Markets. Here you get to see first hand the vast range of produce on display and learn the characteristics that buyers look for in their stock. These unique insights can successfully give you the edge on the competition, whether it be a reminder that purple carrots exist or what not to buy that week. To complete the experience, the tour wraps up at Scala Café, where a good breakfast and a hot coffee sets the perfect tone for the day ahead.
A: The Sydney Markets are the main source for the fruit and vegetables in supermarkets, restaurants, greengrocers, exporters and food processors in Sydney. Approximately 120 Wholesalers, 394 Produce Growers, 172 Flower Growers-Sellers and over 160 supporting businesses are located on site at Flemington. The combined sales from the Produce and Growers markets reach an impressive $3 billion annually.
THE BIG CHILL
Q: What was the first refrigerated vehicle for transporting fresh food on land?
At Simon George & Sons we keep our cool in our new fleet of refrigerated delivery vehicles. Custom built by Hino and Therma Truck, the fleet’s cutting-edge design makes it possible for Simon George & Sons to deliver the freshest produce safely and reliably every time.
The bespoke Therma Truck bodies are made of the highest quality materials, going over and above standard product handling requirements. Moulded fibreglass panels with a polyurethane foam core insulate the vehicle and aid temperature recovery, ensuring the last delivery of the day is as fresh as the first. The panels are seamless, easily cleaned and fitted with load restraints; making the trucks efficient, hygienic and secure.
To help us improve our service, a state of the art tracking system has been installed in all Simon George & Sons vehicles. The system allows us to provide instant feedback on the location of deliveries, monitor potential delays and streamline delivery routes to better serve our clients. The upshot, no more 'Car 54, where are you?’!
Simon George & Sons strives to deliver the highest quality product and reliable service to our business partners. We are committed to offering an innovative approach to fruit and veg that that will benefit both our clients and the industry as a whole... while we stay cool!
A: Refrigerated railroad cars. In 1867, J.B. Sutherland of Detroit, Michigan patented the refrigerator car, designed with ice tanks at either end of the car it had ventilator flaps near the floor which created a draft of cold air through the car.