Last week’s Your Produce Man’s Produce Puzzzzle dealt apples: This apple variety was the main variety taken to the Pacific Northwest by the early pioneers. It helped create the huge apple state of Washington. What apple is it? You would certainly think the answer would be the Red Delicious, since that apple makes up about 40% of all the apples grown in Washington State today. However, when the pioneers traveled to the Northwest from the Midwest, they took other varieties of apples. In fact, the Red Delicious was considered "no good" by most of the nurserymen at the time. The apple taken to Washington which helped establish that industry was actually from New York. It was first found in East Bloomfield and rocketed to popularity. It was...the Northern Spy. Since it is apple season, this week's Your Produce Man’s Produce Puzzzzle still deals with apples: What apple is a cross between a Golden Delicious and a Kidd's Orange Pippin? See next week’s Fresh Tips for the answer.

In the early part of the citrus season, a Navel Orange may be “mature” and sweet, but green. Ethylene helps to “degreen” the fruit, making the Orange…orange.

NAVEL ORANGES (Monday, November 14): Ethylene is a naturally occurring ripening gas. As some fruits and vegetables mature, they produce this growth hormone, ethylene, which continues the ripening process. Without ethylene, some items, such as bananas, would never ripen. The produce industry uses ethylene to start the ripening process. Bananas, for example, are picked fully mature, but before they are mature enough to produce their own ethylene, which would allow them to start ripening on their own. After their journey from Central or South America to North America, they are placed in special rooms, which are then filled with ethylene to trigger the ripening process. The rooms are then aired out and the bananas sold, but they continue to ripen themselves by producing their own ethylene gas, going from the unripe green stages to the ready-to-eat yellow stage. Some tomatoes also are picked fully mature, but before they are mature enough to produce their own ethylene, and they are treated the same way bananas are. Same with Avocados and Kiwifruit. Early citrus still has some green on the skin, so ethylene kills the chlorophyll cells, allowing the orange color to come out in the skin. We call this process “degreening.” The word degreening simply means to get rid of the green color. As much as this procedure is simple in its basis and principles, it is also complicated in its application.

A LITTLE SCIENCE Here’s the scientific equation for Ethylene. Rearrange the Hydrogens and the Carbons, and you’ll have polyethylene, plastic that we use for bags and soda bottles. Substitute a Chloride for one of the Hydrogens, and you’ll have vinyl chloride, from which we get PVC pipe.

In the very beginning of the season, some Navel oranges reach good pleasant taste but they are still green. The green color is not attractive to the consumers. This is because consumers know that green oranges are mostly immature. In order to convince consumers at that early time that there are tasty Navel oranges, the color must be changed from green to orange. This is done by degreening them. To understand the difference, we must know first why the Navel turns in the nature from green to orange color. In simple words, the weather is the cause. There are some optimum weather conditions that cause the ignition of the coloration. But these most favorable weather conditions are present in the nature for only few hours during the day. This is why on the trees, the Navel orange turns from green to orange color very slowly in a month and more. In the degreening process, these most favorable weather conditions for natural coloration are kept 24 hours per day. When the Navel oranges are exposed all the time to these best weather conditions, they naturally turn their color from green color to orange color within few days. Degreening rooms are the equipment used for the process. These rooms are totally insulated from the outside world. Green Navel oranges are stacked in these rooms. Parameters of the optimum weather conditions for turning the color from green to orange are then regulated, kept, and monitored around the clock.The main parameters are Temperature, Humidity, Oxygen level, Carbon dioxide level (CO2), and of course, the Ethylene level. The idea is that we can make the color of the fruit attractive to the consumer by degreening it but we can do nothing about the taste. This is why, we never start the degreening season before we make sure that the taste is good. This is done in laboratories by analysis called maturity tests. When the analysis shows that the fruits of a certain field have reached the permissible maturity index (sugar levels), we can start the degreening process at once. If the fruits of another field do not reach the satisfying maturity index, the degreening process of this field is postponed until it gets the right maturity state. Sometimes, you may get some dark green spots on the peel. This is called oleocellosis. The green fruit peel is very sensitive to the shocks. The least friction or shock make a rupture in the peel. Usually, this is caused when the pickers pick wet fruit. The peel is all puffy from the moisture, so the picker’s grip will injure the peel. This injury spreads and makes a spot that does not degreen in the degreening room. The result is ugly blemished peel, but that does not affect the eating quality of that orange.

Growers in the Lone Star State have a Grapefruit worthy of their 10-gallon hat: Rio Red Star

Red Grapefruit from Texas is some of the healthiest, according to researchers.

Harvest is in full swing for the winter crop of Texas Grapefruit.

TEXAS GRAPEFRUIT (Tuesday, November15): In 1982, temperatures in the Rio Grande Valley dipped to the low 20s, and stayed there for several hours. And this went on for several days. Most citrus can withstand freezing temperatures, down to around 28 degrees for just an hour or so. But this deep freeze just didn’t want to stop until the entire citrus crop was lost. That’s right, 100% of the Texas grapefruit crop was wiped out. About 5 years later, Texas growers were just getting back into the saddle, ready to harvest their very first crop in half a decade. Mother Nature then turned a cruel cold shoulder to Texas grapefruit growers. Another deep freeze. Another 100% wipeout of the Texas grapefruit crop. Mother Nature, more than anything else, determines what we buy in the produce department, its quality and how much we pay for it. For more than a decade, Texas didn’t sell one single grapefruit. But they weren’t just sitting around, waiting for their new trees to mature. They were busy developing the next generation of red grapefruit. When Texas grapefruit growers finally got back into the saddle in the early 1990s, they brought with them one of today’s most popular grapefruits, the Texas Rio Red Star, the reddest grapefruit on earth. The National Cancer Institute placed grapefruit on their list of cancer preventative foods. Lose weight. Help lower your cholesterol and your blood pressure. Feel great. Just 2 servings of Grapefruit or juice a day. The Grapefruit Diet used to be called a “fad” diet, but a major weight loss center that's part of a prestigious East Coast University has released the results of their study incorporating Grapefruit as a part of your diet. You're going to love how the results make you look and feel. In 13 weeks, participants in the study lost an average of 19 pounds. They also significantly lowered their cholesterol and blood pressure. All this simply by following the low-fat eating plan which includes 2 servings of fresh Florida grapefruit or Florida grapefruit juice each day. Both the fresh fruit and the juice are satisfying and filling, yet have no fat, no cholesterol and no refined sugar. They're also high in important vitamins, and fresh Florida grapefruit is an excellent source of fiber.As part of a healthy diet, Texas red grapefruit offers many potential benefits to the human body. Texas grapefruit is an excellent source of Vitamin C and a good source of Vitamin A and dietary fiber. One half of a medium Texas grapefruit contains 60 calories and provides 110% of the Daily Value for Vitamin C. Texas grapefruit does not have any fat, sodium and cholesterol. But there is more. The next time you eat a sweet, juicy Texas grapefruit, you'll also be consuming a variety of nutrients you may not have realized. These nutrients are called phytochemicals. They are found naturally in Texas grapefruit and many have been linked to the prevention of certain cancers. One of these phytochemicals is called lycopene. Some animal studies have shown lycopene to reduce the risk of prostate, breast, cervical and colon cancer. Studies by Dr. Steve Clinton at the Harvard School of Public Health have shown that when lycopene is found in high concentrations in the human prostate it significantly reduces the risk of prostate cancer. Texas red grapefruit contains several phytochemicals, including lycopene, beta-carotene, limonoid glucosides, naringin and vitamin-C. The Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) Citrus Center scientist, Dr. Bhimu Patil, says the levels of these five phytochemicals are higher in the Rio Red Grapefruit, grown in South Texas, than other pink and white varieties grown elsewhere. Among different grapefruit varieties, Rio Red is gaining consumer acceptance because of its deep red color, sweet flavor, texture and quality of the fruit. You can find both the Texas Rio Red and Star Ruby varieties marketed in local grocery stores under the name Rio Star Grapefruit. Dr. Leonard Pike, Director of the Vegetable & Fruit Improvement Center at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, knows a thing or two about lycopene and it's presence in Texas red grapefruit. After a 2 year study, he discovered red varieties like the Texas Rio Red and Texas Star Ruby had significantly higher levels of lycopene and total carotenoids, limonoid glucosides, flavonones and vitamin C than the non-Texas white fleshed varieties like the Duncan and Marsh. TAMU researchers continue to study lycopene in Texas grapefruit, hoping to learn what genetic and environmental factors play a role in nutrient content and looking for ways to increase the amount of this cartenoid. Carotenoids are powerful anti-oxidants, making up the pigments in plants, giving foods such as grapefruit, watermelon, tomatoes and sweet potatoes their bright red colors. Additional health benefits may also be found in Texas grapefruit, including pectin. Pectin, or dietary fiber, is a phytochemical that has been shown in cell culture and animal studies to lower blood cholesterol and protect arteries from clogging with plaque. Dietary fiber has also been shown to aid in the prevention of cancerous tumors and improve the body's ability to control blood sugar. For years grapefruit has been promoted as a healthy fruit. Now with support from the National Cancer Institute and research from clinical scientists, a comprehensive analysis of grapefruit's nutrients and its benefits to the human body are well underway. Dr. Patil says that although research is beneficial, consumer demand also plays a factor. One of the most important considerations is that consumers enjoy eating red grapefruit and that they acknowledge its inclusion into a healthy diet.

The Holiday Red Grape has a very large berry size.

HOLIDAY RED GRAPES (Wednesday, November 16): Here is a wlcomed newcomer to the grape vineyard, similar to the Christmas Rose seedless red grape. The Holiday Red Grape has a very large berry size, about the size of your thumb. It tends to have a thinner skin than some other seedless varieites. They are very juicy with excellent flavor. The Holiday Red Grape is an exlusive grape, grown by one grower. Columbine grapes have been produced exclusively by the Caratan family for three generations. To merit the Columbine label, all grape varieties are carefully hand-selected from vines of varying ages at the precise peak of their maturity. All Columbine grapevines are sustained by water-conserving drip irrigation. The grapes are hand-picked and hand-packed by workers that return for the harvest year after year. These workers are trained to select the sweetest and most flavorful berries our vines produce. They take pride in handling the fruit with care from picking to shipping to market in refrigerated containers. Marin Caratan spent his entire life pursuing his one true passion - the production of delicious, fine quality table grapes. Born November 18, 1883, Marin grew up with dreams of immigrating to the United States. At the age of 30, he voyaged to America, settled in San Francisco and began farming crops to earn his living. Six years later Marin had saved enough money to purchase land in California's fertile southern San Joaquin Valley, on which he could grow his own crops - grapes, specifically. He settled in Delano, where today the third and fourth generations of the Caratan family continue to cultivate his original vineyard, as well as those acquired in the years since. Marin's children Ina, Luis and Milan grew up in the vineyards. Marin shared his craft with his sons, teaching them his proven techniques and encouraging them to develop their own skills not only in farming, but business and marketing as well. As Luis and Milan came of age, they honored their father by transitioning into management and, ultimately, control of the company, known then as M. Caratan Inc., prior to Marin's death in 1979.

The Jonagold: Sweet but a hint of Tartness

Apples bruise so easily for the same reason they float…air!

The Cameo: The newer kid on the block.

CAMEO, JONAGOLD APPLES (Thursday, November 17): Here’s another success story from New York. The Jonagold. Scientists at the Geneva Agriculture Experimental Station crossed a mild Golden Delicious with the tart Jonathan, coming up with one terrific apple. The combination in this apple makes it honey sweet, with just a slight touch of tartness. It’s a great apple for simply eating, in salads or baked. In fact, here’s a great treat: Fried Jonagolds. Simply sauté with a little butter and cinnamon. Oh, my what a treat. This time of year, with a lot of different varieties being harvest, make sure you try a new variety. There is more to the world of apples than just Red, Gold and Green. By the way, this is National School Lunch Week, so make sure your kids or grandkids are eating their apples. Take them to the store or the farmer’s market and have them pick out the “apple of the week” for your family. Be sure to ask for a sample of the Jonagold. Another apple variety popping up in the produce department is the Cameo. Formerly known as Carousel, the Cameo popped up in a Red and Golden Delicious orchard in 1987 in Washington State. Cameo’s attractive red stripy skin covers delicious crunchy sweet-tart flesh. It is shaped like a Red Delicious but without the bumps on the bottom. Cameo is an excellent all-purpose eating and cooking apple that keeps very well in storage. Apples, by the way, will bruise very easily. You could hold an apple just 5 inches above the table, then drop it. It will bruise. Why does the apple bruise so easily? Perhaps bobbing for apples would give you a clue. You’ve bobbed for apples, haven’t you? The apples float. They don’t sink. They bob in the water. Does that give you a clue yet? Let’s have a crash course in Physics. Apples have density that is mass divided by volume. Confused yet? Knowing the meaning of the terms might help. Mass is a property of matter and is not the same as weight, although it is related. Mass is not dependent on gravity and is a measure of an object’s resistance to changes in either speed or direction of its motion. Volume is the amount of space occupied by a three dimensional object and density is calculated under specific conditions of pressure and temperature. The apple ‘bobs’ when its average density is the same as the average density of the air and water it displaces. How can an apple have the same average density as air. Air pockets. In the apple. That’s what makes them float. And those air pockets are easily broken when the fruit is dropped, causing a bruise. Treat your apples very gently. They may have a rough, tough exterior, but inside, the apple is very sensitive. Just like men. Don’t bruise your apples, and don’t bruise your man.

This tiny apple is called a Crimson Gold, and is quite a treasure.

CRIMSON GOLD APPLE (Friday, November 18): This variety of apple is a descendent of the Newtown and Spitzenburg heirloom apples. These apples are grown near a National Forest in Cuyama Valley near Santa Barbara, California. Growing in this remote location provides ideal conditions: warm days and cool nights, producing an optimal sugar/acid balance and a firmness in the apples. They look a large crab apple. They are very crisp. Crimson Gold Apples should have smooth, firm, unbroken surfaces free of bruises and blemishes. Some apples may have a brownish freckled surface on their skin, usually caused by weather, but their flavor is unaffected. To keep apples crisp, store refrigerated, in a plastic bag (to retain moisture). Albert Etter of Ettersburg created many wonderful heirloom apples, including this Crimson Gold. As a boy growing up on a farm near Ferndale CA, Etter displayed a precocious talent for horticultural experimentation. He combined aptitude with vision at an early age, making his life goal the creation of a new fruit varieties uniquely suited for California and the Pacific Northwest. While still in his late teens, Albert had the enormous good fortune to stumble onto the piece of land that was to become his ranch and experiment station. The young Etter discovered this bench of forest land above Bear Creek during a fishing trip up the Mattole River Valley. Rugged and remote, the parcel was available for free through the Homestead Act. In 1894 at the age of 22, Albert was able to take possession of the dream place he came to call Ettersburg. Clearing and improving the land was a formidable task, but he was helped in the work by several of his brothers who homesteaded adjacent parcels. Etter was a remarkably systematic worker with an ambitious agenda. His apple program began with his growing out a grid of seedlings to serve as understocks. By 1900, he was ready to top-work these trees to several hundred varieties obtained through the new University of California Extension Service. The goal of this trial was to identify varieties that had desirable qualities needed as parents for subsequent breeding experiments. Etter eventually made thousands of crosses, grew out rows of the resulting seedlings, and then grafted wood from these onto his understock trees. Etter thought the Crimson Gold had exceptional culinary value: it could withstand lengthy boiling without losing its structural integrity. While this is a fact, I also regard Crimson Gold as an extraordinary eating and juicing apple. It ripens a bit later than Wickson (late October to November) and retains its quality longer. It is also substantially larger. As its name suggests, this is an attractive fruit, red-flushed over cream color covered with a plum-like bloom. Etter originally called it "Little Rosybloom". Crimson Gold was the subject of mystery for some time. The seventh and last of the Etter apples to be introduced, the paperwork with the U.S. Patent Office was never finalized - for reasons that remain unclear. Although the apple and its paperwork got lost, the variety grown and distributed by the U.S. Germplasm Repository at Geneva NY under the name "Crimson Gold.” Etter died in 1950 and his experimental orchard began to deteriorate. After years of exploring the remnants of the Ettersburg test orchard, we had just about given up on ever finding this variety. Then, one wintry afternoon while climbing in the top of yet another multi-grafted test tree, a single live limb of the true Crimson Gold was discovered - complete with tarnished zinc label blending into the gray bark. Returning the next fall in hope of checking the fruit, sure enough - there was our elusive little apple. We boiled it for a couple hours to confirm our judgment: solid and golden as a cling peach.........This is an outstanding fruit that should not be lost ever again.

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