Fruits Chapter 16 Objectives List the five factors
Fruits Chapter 16
Objectives • List the five factors that affect a fruit’s flavor and texture • Explain the buying and storing of fruits • Discuss and identify berries, melons, grapes, citrus, stone fruits, pome fruits and tropical and exotic fruits, and provide examples of different varieties
Global Sourcing • Fruits produced in U. S. come from: – Indigenous stock – Imports from European settlers • Fruits may be categorized by climatic growing region – Temperate, subtropical, and tropical
Buying and Storing • Factors that can affect flavor and texture – Genetics – Environment – Farming practices – Harvest maturity – Post-harvest handling
Berries • Small, thin-skinned fruits with sweet-tart flesh – Some are made of clusters of tiny sacs – Others have seed-speckled skin • Tartness varies between varieties – Blueberries and strawberries are sweetest – Gooseberries, cranberries, currants are tart
Buying and Storing • Select vividly colored berries that are uniform in size – Avoid any signs of mold • Berries should not be washed until just before use • Frozen berries are widely available • Store delicate berries two to three days
16. 1 Blackberries 16. 4 a Red Raspberries 16. 2 Blueberries 16. 4 b Golden raspberries 16. 3 Cranberries 16. 5 Strawberries 16. 3 and 16. 4 b courtesy of Robert Garlough; all others © Randy Van Dam 2008
Melons • Widely available – Grown in many parts of the world – Grow on long vines on the ground – Related to cucumber, pumpkin, and squash • Skin thickness varies • Seeds in the middle, with wide band of flesh surrounding seeds
Buying and Storing • Hundreds of melon varieties • Peak season: May to September • Avoid melons with hard or unevenly colored stalk end • End opposite the stalk should have a delicate aroma if fruit is ripe – Should also sound hollow when tapped
16. 6 Bitter melon 16. 12 Kiwano 16. 8 Casaba 16. 9 Crenshaw 16. 13 Pepino © Randy Van Dam 2008
Grapes • Uses of grapes – Seeds are used to make oil – Vines used as fuel to flavor grilled foods – Leaves are used for wrapping savory filling – The fermented juices become wine • Classified by color, seeded or seedless, and table or wine
Buying and Storing • Look for firm grapes that are plump and fragrant • Picked ripe – They do not ripen once removed from vine • Avoid shriveled or discolored fruit • Store unwashed in perforated plastic bags or bins for up to 10 days
16. 17 Champagne 16. 20 Common red seedless 16. 18 Common black seedless 16. 21 a Green globe 16. 19 Common green seedless 16. 22 b Red muscato © Randy Van Dam 2008
Citrus Fruits • Notable for their fragrance and juice content – High in citric acid • Many citrus fruits picked while partially green – Color changes while in transit to markets
Global Sourcing • Citrus trees need sunny, humid environments with sufficient moisture • Fruit begins to ripen in fall or early winter • Major commercial growing areas – Southern China, the Mediterranean, Australia, South Africa, parts of South America, California, Florida, and Texas
Buying and Storing • Citrus does not continue to ripen after it has been picked • Choose fruit that is firm and heavy for its size • Store under refrigeration or in a cool, dark place – Can be maintained unbagged six-eight weeks
16. 24 Kumquat 16. 25 a Lisbon lemon 16. 28 Limequat 16. 29 Blood orange 16. 26 Persian lime 16. 34 Clementine © Randy Van Dam 2008
Stone Fruits • Stone fruits have pits in the center • Category includes peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, cherries, and newer hybrids • Nonhybrids are native to China • California is largest grower of stone fruits
Buying and Storing • Summer is stone fruit season • Often picked and shipped before fully ripe to keep fruit from bruising • Plums ripen after picking and may be refrigerated without losing flavor • Choose heavy, unblemished fruit with a deep color
16. 39 Apricots 16. 40 Bing cherries 16. 43 Black and red plums 16. 44 a Assorted pluots 16. 41 Nectarines 16. 44 b Plumcot © Randy Van Dam 2008
Pome Fruits • Pome fruits are tree fruits that include: – Apples – Pears – Quince • Named for their pome shape
Apples • Important food in cooler climates • Can be stored for months • Many varieties of apples – Different types are bred for eating, cooking, or cider – Cider apples too tart for eating
16. 45 Braeburn 16. 49 Golden delicious 16. 46 Empire 16. 50 Granny Smith 16. 47 Fuji 16. 53 Mac. Intosh © Randy Van Dam 2008
Pears • Pears are picked mature but not fully ripe – Will ripen at room temperature – Need to refrigerate once they ripen • Choose unblemished fruit without bruises • Hundreds of varieties
16. 57 D’Anjou 16. 61 Comice 16. 58 Asian 16. 63 Starkrimson (red) 16. 60 Bosc 16. 64 Taylor’s gold © Randy Van Dam 2008
Quince • Has yellowish skin and yellowish-white flesh – Looks and tastes like an apple-pear cross, but drier and more tart than either • Choose fruit that is large, firm and brightly-colored
Tropical and Exotic Fruits • Native to tropical and subtropical climates • Can be eating fresh without cooking • Once referred to as exotics because of limited availability – Now more commonplace due to improved systems for cultivating, harvesting, and transporting
Buying and Storing • Many varieties continue to soften or ripen after harvest • Most should be kept at room temperature until ripe and then later refrigerated
16. 67 Baby banana 16. 71 Star fruit 16. 69 Plantain banana 16. 70 Red banana 16. 72 Cherimoya © Randy Van Dam 2008
16. 75 c Black mission figs 16. 81 a Kent mango 16. 78 a Green kiwi 16. 82 b Caribbean red papaya 16. 79 Lychee 16. 83 Passionfruit © Randy Van Dam 2008
Summary • A wide variety of fruits exists – Grown in different climates and world regions • Classifications of fruits – Citrus, pome fruits, berries, melons, grapes, stone fruits, and tropical and exotic fruits
Summary (cont’d. ) • Most fruits do not ripen after harvesting, though some do • Choose unblemished fruit with no sign of mold • Most fruits may be refrigerated once ripe
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