Fruits and Nuts

Fruits (Les Frits)

A part of plant that develops from the ovary of the flower and contains the seeds.The definition also covers certain vegetables like Tomato and Cucumber.

Like the vegetables, these are the products of plants which are used for culinary purpose. There are various uses of fruits where it can be served raw or cooked. Fruits can be subdivided into the following categories     

FOOD VALUE

Fruits are rich in vitamin; especially vitamin C. Cellulose is useful as rough age

·         The food value depends upon the vitamin content of the fruit especially Vitamin C.

·         It is therefore valuable as a Protective food.

·         The cellulose in the fruit is useful as roughage.

·         Regular consumption of fruit is associated with reduced risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease (especially coronary heart disease), stroke

·         Fruits are also low in calories which would help lower ones calorie intake as part of a weight loss diet.

·         Diets that include a sufficient amount of potassium from fruits and vegetables also help reduce the chance of developing kidney stones. 

Types of Fruits

1.      Stone Fruits: Apricots, Cherries, Damsons, Greengages, Nectarines, Peaches, Plums.

(In botany, a drupe is an indehiscent fruit in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a single shell of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. These fruits usually develop from a single carpel, and mostly from flowers with superior ovaries). 

2.      Hard Fruits: Apples, Crab Apples, Pears.

(Hard Fruit is a term used to categorize fruit. Rather, it refers to fruit that has a relatively long shelf life, and ships a bit more easily, as opposed to soft fruit, such as strawberries or raspberries, which are extremely fragile and have a very short shelf life).

3.      Soft Fruits: A small stone less fruit, such as a strawberry or a blackcurrant. The category includes many berries — such as Bilberries, Blackcurrants, Blueberries, Gooseberries, Loganberries, Raspberries, Redcurrants, strawberries.

4.      Citrus Fruits:A tree of a genus that includes citron, lemon, Mandarins,  Pomeloes, Tangerines, Clementine’s, Kumquats lime, orange, and grapefruit. Native to Asia, citrus trees are cultivated in warm countries for their fruits 

5.      Tropical Fruits and Others: Some tropical fruits are pretty well known all over the world. Banana, Cape Gooseberries, Carrabolla, dates, Figs, Granadillas, Guavas, Kiwi fruit, Lychees, mangos teens, Mangoes, Passion fruit, Papayas, Paw paws, Persimmons, Pineapples, Sharon fruits, Guava, Pomegranates, avocados and star fruits are some well-known examples

Storage

Soft fruits don’t keep long and must be kept in a refrigerator. Bananas should never be kept in a refrigerator, as they will turn black. Most fruits like to be on shelves or in baskets in a cool, well ventilated room and not piled very high. Spoiled fruits must be removed immediately or they will contaminate others as well

ü  Hard fruits such as apples should be left in boxes and kept in cool place.

ü  Soft fruits such as raspberries and strawberries, should be left in their baskets in a cold room

ü  Stone fruits are best placed in trays so that any damaged fruit can be seen and discarded

ü  Peaches and citrus fruits are left in their delivery trays or boxes

ü  Bananas should not be stored in too cold place because the skin turns black

 

Quality and Purchasing point

When buying fruit one must take great care to select the right quality.  Soft fruits deteriorate quickly and shouldn’t be too ripened or damaged. Hard fruit shouldn’t be bruised. Generally, fruits should be ripe but not too ripe and never wrinkle or wilted (wither off).

1.      Soft Fruits deteriorate quickly, especially if not sound. Care must be taken to see that they are not damaged or too ripe when bought.

a.       The should appear fresh;

b.      there should be no shrinking;

c.       wilting or signs of moulds

d.      The color of certain soft fruits is an indication of ripeness (e.g. Strawberries, Dessert gooseberries)

2.      Hard fruits should not be bruised. Pears should not be over ripe.

 

Preservation

Preservation Method of Fruits

·   Drying

·   Canning

·   Bottling

·   Candied

·   Glace

·   Crystallized

·   Jelly

·   Jam and Marmalade

·   Quick frozen

·   Cold Storage

1.      Drying: Apples, pears, apricots, peaches, dates, bananas and figs are dried; Plums when dried are called Prunes, and currants, Sultanas and raisins are produced by drying grapes.

2.      Canning: Almost all fruits may be canned; Apples are packed in water and known as solid packed apples; other fruits are canned in syrup.

3.      Bottling: Bottling is used domestically, but very little fruit is commercially preserved in this way; cherries are bottled in maraschino.

4.      Candied, glace, and crystallized fruits are mainly imported from France

5.      Jam: Some stone fruits and all soft fruits can be used

6.      Jelly: Jellies are produced from fruit juice

7.      Quick Freezing: Strawberries, raspberries, loganberries, apples, blackberries, gooseberries, grapefruit and plums are frozen and must be kept below 0° C

8.      Cold Storage: Apples are stored at temperatures of between 1 to 4° C, depending on the variety of apple

9.      Gas Storage: Fruit can be kept in a sealed storeroom where the atmosphere is controlled; the amount of air is limited, the oxygen content of the air is decreased and the carbon dioxide increased, which controls the respiration rate of the fruit.

10.  Fruit juices, syrups and drinks

11.  Fruits juices such as orange, lemon and blackcurrant are canned

12.  Syrups as orange are bottled

13.  Fruit drinks are also bottled. E.g. Orange, lime and lemon

Nuts

Nuts are reproductive Kernels (seeds) of the plant or tree from which they come. They are perishable, rancid and infested with insects.

 

Food value

ü  Highly nutritious

ü  Because of Proteins fats and mineral salts

ü  For vegetarians, nuts may be used in place of meat

ü  Builds repairs and provides energy

 

Quality and Purchase Points

ü  Should be of good size

ü  Should be heavy for their size

ü  There must be no sign of Mildew

 

Various Nuts

 

Almonds

Served at cocktail parties and bars.Ground Flaked or nibbled almonds are used in sweet dishes and for decorating cakes

Marzipan (almond paste) has many uses in pastry.

 

 

Brazil Nuts

Served with fresh fruits as dessert and are also used in confectionery

 

Chestnuts

Used as stuffing's for turkeys

Chestnut flour is used in soups

Uses as a garnish for ice creams

Its puree is used in pastries and Gateaux

 

Coconut

Used in desiccated form for curry preparations and in many types of cakes and confectionery.

 

Hazel nuts

Used as a dessert nuts

Used for pralines

 

Macadamia nuts

Expensive

Rich, delicate and sweetish flavor

Used in pasta dishes, savory sauces for meats, games, poultry and

Ice creams sorbets and puddings

 

Pecans

Pecan nuts are used salted for desserts, various sweets and ice creams

Peanuts and cashew nuts

These are salted and used as bar snacks

Also used in some stir fry dishes

 

Pistachio nuts

Small green nuts grown mainly in France and Italy

Are used for decorating galantines small and large cakes and petit fours

Also used in ice creams

 

Walnuts

Imported mainly from France and Italy

Are used as a dessert in salads and for decorating cakes and sweet dishes

Also pickled while green and unripe

 

Pine nuts

Pine nuts are the edible seeds of pines

Frequently added to meat, fish, salads and vegetable dishes  or baked into bread

In Italian they are called pinoli or pignoli

An essential component of Italian pesto sauce

 

STORAGE

ü  Nuts with shell are stored in cool, dry, ventilated place

ü  Nuts without shell should be kept in a airtight container

 

Available in following forms

o   Ground

o   Nibbed

o   Flaked

o   Halved

o   Whole

o   Desiccated

o   Essence