QUESTION TIME:
Q: What do eggs and potatoes have in common?
At Simon George & Sons we like to work closely with our clients, listen to their needs and then shape our service accordingly. So this week, I thought I would take the opportunity to answer our most frequently asked questions about produce. It is interesting that some of the more ‘commonplace’ produce on our quote tends to generate the most questions, for example one of the most FAQ of our team relates to the classification of eggs (what do they mean and how should they affect my purchasing decisions?). Meanwhile, the #1 most searched product on our blog (by a long way) is the humble potato – with people wanting to know what varieties are out there and how to use them. I have done my best to answer these questions below, should you have any products or produce trends that you would like to see featured on the blog, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
EGGS: Simon George & Sons is HACCP accredited for the storage and distribution of eggs
Purchasing eggs has become much more difficult. With no centralized classification system, egg producers can be accredited by one of any number of different associations, each with very different requirements to achieve accreditation. So what do these mean?
ORGANIC: organic and humane
Buying organic states that the eggs have been produced on a certified ‘organic’ farm by chickens who have been fed only certified organic feed/grain and treated humanely (roam free, outdoor access, no beak-trimming or wing-clipping).
Simon George & Sons stock 60gm organic eggs
FREE-RANGE: access to outdoor areas
There has been some controversy surrounding ‘free-range eggs’ of late, with the lack of a formal definition coming under fire. The number of hens per m² can vary hugely from farm to farm, however 90% of free-range egg producers in Australia are accredited by the Egg Corporation of Australia, which allow farmers to keep an equivalent of 2 hens/m². Free-range hens are housed in sheds but must have access to outdoor area.
Simon George & Sons stock 70gm free-range eggs
BARN-LAID:
Barn-laid is an alternative system to Free-Range farming- the chickens do not have outdoor access but roam freely around a multi-tiered barn that accommodates fundamental needs such as dust-bathing, scratching, enclosed nest boxes. Density of the hens in the barn varies per farmer and accreditation.
Simon George & Sons stock 60 & 70 gm barn-laid eggs from Llandilo farm
CAGE EGGS:
Simon George & Sons sells caged eggs in 50, 60 and 70 gram sizes, these can be supplied in tray pack or carton.
POTATOES:
There are hundreds of potatoes on the markets and with more varieties being developed all the time, the question seems to be- which should you use for what? Below is a list of the most common commercial potato varieties, their classification i.e. waxy vs floury and recommended use.
Waxy: low starch (16-18%) and high moisture content
Best for salads, stews, soups or anything where you want the potato to hold shape
Bintje
Dutch Cream
Kipfler
Nadine
Nicola
Patrone – the salad potato
Pink Eye
Pink Fir Apple
Purple Congo – avoid roasting
Red Delight
Ruby Lou
All-rounders: Are neither waxy nor floury
Lend themselves to a variety of cooking methods
Desiree – avoid frying
Kennebec – chip
Pontiac
Purple Jester
Red Rascal
Royal Blue
Sebago
Spunta
Toolangi delight - gnocchi
Floury: high starch (20-22%) and low moisture content
Release starch when boiled or fried, best for roasting, baking (in skins) and mashing. If you want to make chips or use them in a salad, soak first.
Coliban
Golden Delight
King Edward - mash
Russet Burbank
A: They come alive when you add fresh truffles!
While fresh black truffles are as expensive as they are delicious, they also add a whole new dimension to potato and egg dishes. Simon George & Sons has fresh Black truffles available, with extra class, first class and pieces selling by the gram. With the WA season up and running , the first of the NSW truffles being dug up this week and Tasmanian truffles yet to come -we are looking at a harvest to remember.
Eggs: add unique character to egg dishes without using a single gram. Grab a large glass jar and place a bed of rice at the bottom. Layer your eggs, truffles (wrapped in absorbent paper) and finally a knob of butter on top of the rice. Close the jar and refrigerate for 48 hours, after which the egg, rice and butter will all be infused with the unique truffle aroma.
Potatoes: with your truffle still whole and ready to use, why not add that gourmet touch to your potatoes and finely slice or shave fresh black truffle through a rich, creamy mash.
THE APPLE OF LOVE
Q: They’re tasty, but are tomatoes good for you?
A member of the nightshade family, tomatoes, or apples of love as they were once known, were introduced to the world following the Spanish conquest of Central America in the 1500s. While it is now a staple ingredient in cuisines the world over, the last 500 years has seen this lush fruit compete with the rosebud as a token of love, named as the subject of numerous court battles and decreed as poisonous. Despite its controversial history, 2008 saw 130 million tonnes of tomatoes produced worldwide, with China leading the charge at a staggering 33 million tonnes per annum.
Technically a fruit, the tomato is most commonly used as a vegetable. This is due to the glusamate content of the tomato which gives it a rich flavour that sits somewhere between sweet and savoury, making them perfect for eating both fresh and cooked.
The tomatoes we see today are nothing like the fruit first cultivated in the Americas. Over the years, tomatoes have been specifically bred for the purposes of increased disease resistance and aesthetic appeal. These programs have resulted in higher yields for farmers and the dominance of tomatoes that are uniform of shape and intense of colour i.e. the round, red fruit we see today. Unfortunately, many people believe that these programs have also resulted in loss of flavour and texture.
With this in mind, we have seen a widespread increase in demand for heirloom (heritage) varieties, organic, truss and vine-ripened fruits, as they offer the most authentic tomato experience.
Beyond these distinctions, there are many other tomato varieties that are worth including on the plate:
BEEFSTEAK OXHEART (Heirloom):
Availability: One of the favourite heirlooms, the oxheart is currently in short supply (as are all heirlooms) but is about to hit peak
Description: Large, very fragrant heirlooms. Tend to have a stripy skin with background
Flavour: Juicy with solid meat
Best Use: Slicing, sandwiches
BELLA ROSSA (loose):
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Description: Appear similar to baby roma but are more square than egg shaped.
Flavour: Firm and sweet
Best Use: Salads, snacking, roasting whole
BLACK KUMATO:
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Description: Dark brown/red when ripe
Flavour: Low in acid which makes them very sweet with a distinctive ‘kumato’ flavour
Best Use: Colour adds a unique twist to gourmet dishes. Dark brown are good for gourmet dishes, salads, sandwiches. Dark red is good for soups and sauces.
BLACK KUMATO- GRAPE:
Availability: Generally available
Description: Hydroponically grown these are a new variety. Dark chocolate.
Flavour: Low in acid which makes them very sweet with a distinctive ‘kumato’ flavour
Best Use: Snacking, salads, pasta sauces
BLACK RUSSIAN (Heirloom):
Availability: December - March
Description: Medium sized with dark olive skin and chocolate, red flesh
Flavour: Sweet
Best Use: Adding colour to a gourmet dish, salad
CHERRY (available loose or truss):
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Description: Small variety, around 2cm in diameter. Mainly sold as yellow or red fruit, though it is possible to get heirloom cherry and grape medley packs
Flavour: Sweet and crunchy. The yellow fruit tends to have less acid and therefore be sweeter again
Best Use: Salads, roasting whole, snacking
GOURMET/FIELD/ROUND:
Availability: Generally available
Description: These are the standard round, red tomato we know and love
Flavour: Rich, full flavour
Best Use: All rounder
GRAPE:
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Description: Small oval (approx 4cm) that comes to a point. Mainly sold as red or yellow fruit (yellow is slightly smaller), though it is possible to get heirloom cherry and grape medley packs
Flavour: The red and yellow varieties are very sweet due to their high sugar content
Best Use: Snacking
ROMA: (available loose or truss)
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Description: Medium sized, elongated oval fruit that is rich red when ripe
Flavour: Sweet and juicy
Best Use: A plum tomato, low water and seed content make them perfect for cooking. Hold shape well under heat.
ROMA- BABY
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Description: Small, generally about half the size of full Romas
Flavour: Intensely sweet, not as sweet as cherry tomatoes but still tasty
Best Use: Salads, sandwiches, antipasto, roasting, BBQ
TEARDROP/PEAR:
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Description: Small fruit shaped like a pear/teardrop, this tomato can be red or yellow
Flavour: Mild and juicy, yellow teardrops have no acid and are very sweet
Best Use: Salads, snacking
MEDLEY:
Medley punnets showcase a variety of heirloom cherry and grape tomatoes, that bring a fantastic array of flavours, textures and colours to the plate.
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Best Use: Salads, snacking
A: Tomatoes are a nutritionist's dream. Generally a good source of vitamin C, E, A and fibre, they are set apart by their high lycopene content. One of the most powerful, natural antioxidants, lycopene has been proven to ward off various types of cancer by preventing the growth of cancerous cells. In fact, scientists believe that just one glass of tomato juice a day could have a huge impact on your future health. Interestingly, the lycopene in a tomato is not compromised by the cooking process, in fact the lycopene levels increase making it even more beneficial to the consumer.
FREE RANGE THINKING
Q: What does a chef’s hat have to do with cooking an egg?
An increased awareness of social and environmental responsibility is influencing consumer choices and nowhere is this more apparent than with the humble egg. Patrons look for organic or free-range eggs on the menu, but with only voluntary standards for eggs production in Australia, how do we really know what we are serving up?
This question made the headlines again last week when the Australian Egg Corporation released their first ever definition of what it means to be classified as ‘free range’. Under this definition producers are still allowed to trim beaks and keep up to 20,000 birds a hectare, an intense farming situation which the Humane Society predicts will not meet “consumer expectations for how free range eggs are produced.” The current (voluntary) standards advise no more than 1500 per hectare.
Many Australians willingly pay a premium for free range eggs believing that ‘free range’ describes vast open farm yards dotted with ‘au naturel’ happy hens. The reality is entirely different, with any number of ‘free range’ egg producers practicing high density farming and beak trimming. If you really want to know about the life of the chicken before the egg, check the accreditation. The major associations have their criteria are on their website.
- Australian Egg Corporation - Egg Corp Assured accreditation. Represent 90% of Australian producers
- Biological Farmers Association -Australian Certified Organic accreditation
- Free Range Egg and Poultry Association of Australia -FREPAA accreditation
- RSPCA -Choose Wisely
So what do all the catchphrases really mean?
- Organic- certified organic farms where hens eat only certified organic feed, roam free, have outdoor access and are treated humanely (i.e. no beak trimming, wing clipping etc)
- Organic Grain Fed- hens fed organic grain but are not necessarily free range or humanely treated
- Barn Laid- alternative free range system where chooks roam free around a large barn. No outdoor access but have nesting boxes, perches and access to food and drink. Density of numbers depend on the farmer and type of accreditation
- Free-Range- hens roam free and have some form of access to a sheltered outdoor area during daylight hours. Amount of outdoor access and density of population varies (the Egg Corporation has admitted some accredited farms can have up to 40,000 birds per hectare- 4 a square metre).
- Cage/Battery- accounts for approx 75-80% of egg sales in Australia. Hens are kept in cages continuously under conditions that increase production
Simon George & Sons sources two of the best ‘feel good, taste good eggs’, with Barn laid eggs from Llandilo Farm Fresh and Delucas Certified Organic eggs.
A: The chef’s toque is said to have a pleat for each of the ways you can cook an egg. With 100 pleats, you’d better get cracking.