APPLES AND PEARS, THE PERFECT PICK
It is apple and pear season at the moment and we are excited to start lots of fun activities with these fruits. There are a lot of different apple and pear varieties in the supermarket and it can sometimes be tricky to choose which variety is the best for your needs and taste.
Apples
Pink Lady apples are the most popular and largest selling variety of apples sold in M&S stores. They were developed in Australia by John Cripps in the late 20th Century and are often described as the ‘Champagne apple’, due to their unique fizz. They have a very distinctive colour and flavour, with a sweet to tart taste. The apple skin is yellow, with a red to pink blush. The creamy white flesh is very crisp and juicy and resistant to browning when sliced.
Jazz apples are a relatively new apple variety as a result of crossbreeding a Braeburn and Royal Gala. They are originally from New Zealand, but are now grown worldwide. It has a dense flesh and a sweet pear-drop flavour. They are the second largest apple variety in M&S. Amelia apples are exclusively grown in the UK for M&S. The variety is named after the daughter of one of the
M&S store managers, who sadly passed away. It is a distinctive yellow apple, with a sweet, zesty flavour. The Amelia variety won the ‘best new UK variety’ at the UK Grower Awards in 2010.
Rockit is a fun and exciting new apple variety from New Zealand. They are small and bite-sized, with a very attractive bright red skin. Rockit has a very ‘trendy’ brand image, as the fruit has been sold in a ‘Rockit Tube’ since the UK launch. A small volume of Rockit apples are grown in Faversham in Kent, and are available exclusively to M&S from mid-November.
Pears
Conference pears are the most popular variety of pear as it is available all year round. They are grown to the Perfect PickTM protocol in the UK from September until July and in Belgium or Holland for the rest of the year. The flesh is soft and buttery when ripe, with a green, russeted skin.
The Piqa Reo is an exclusive pear, from a series which are unique crosses of European, Japanese and Chinese pears. They are crisp and juicy, with a great storage and shelf life and the same ready-to-eat convenience of apples.
Bambinella (Baby pear) was first sold in M&S 4 years ago. This is a unique baby pear which is wonderfully sweet and crunchy. Bambinella trees were planted in the UK in 2010 and now M&S sells 100% British in September, however there are limited volumes.
Marks & Spencer’s aim is to sell 100% British fruit in season. The specialist growers boast over 500 years of experience growing superior fruit for M&S. Therefore a number of awards are won each year for their special and superior fruit.
It is also important to handle the fruit you buy carefully to make it last well and stay perfect. Apples are very delicate as they are made up of 80% water. Therefore bruising doesn't always show immediately and can take several hours before it becomes visible. Ensure fruit is never stored on top of other fruit and that it is placed into bowls as any drop could cause damage and bruising.
Keep an eye out for these fantastic varieties of apple and pear in M&S stores. They are truly the best fruit you can get in season!
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