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Blue Potatoes: These Varieties Are One of Them

Blue potatoes are not new from the lab, they are old varieties. You can read here what makes blue potatoes so special and what varieties there are.

The dark skin and the bluish-purple flesh may seem strange at first, but blue potatoes are old varieties. There are also purple and red potatoes.

After potatoes made their way to Europe from South America in the 16th century, blue varieties were widespread. Only when more resistant and higher-yielding varieties were bred in the 19th century did the yellow varieties replace the blue potatoes.

When you buy blue potatoes, you help preserve diversity on our fields and plates. There are a number of associations and organic farmers who have made it their task to preserve old types of vegetables. There you can buy old varieties, such as blue potatoes, and seeds.

Here you can find out what makes blue potatoes so special and what varieties there are.

This is what makes blue potatoes special

According to the world, blue potatoes lower blood pressure. They owe this to the secondary plant substance anthocyanin. Not only is it responsible for the blue color, but it also has various health benefits.

In 2017, the specialist journal Food and Nutrition Research extensively examined anthocyanin for its health effects. She was able to demonstrate the following properties of the vegetable dye in isolated form:
antioxidant
anti-cancerous
antimicrobial
prevents cardiovascular diseases
has a balancing effect on cholesterol and blood sugar levels
In cultivation, the blue tubers hardly differ from conventional potatoes. However, they are often less robust and productive. They also need more care. As a result, farmers rarely grow blue potatoes on a large scale.

Blue potato varieties

There are several varieties of blue potatoes that you can plant in your garden. They differ in their color and shape as well as in their use and taste.

Blue potato varieties include:
Blue Anneliese: The variety has a smooth skin and dark blue to purple flesh. It is predominantly waxy and is suitable for potato salad and baked potatoes. Its taste is characterized by its creamy consistency and a nutty aroma.
Blue Star: Above all, the pulp makes this variety so special. It is marbled dark blue and white. It is mainly waxy and suitable for potato salad and fried potatoes.
Blue Swede: The flesh of the variety is dark blue and purple marbled. The waxy variety is particularly suitable for boiled potatoes, tastes like chestnuts and has a sweet note.
Blauer St. Galler: The potatoes are oval and have a dark skin with violet flesh, only after cooking do they appear bluish. Due to their creamy consistency, they are well suited for puree or potato soup.
Salad Blue: This variety has a blue-purple flesh surrounded by a thin white outer layer. It keeps its color even after cooking. The waxy variety with the slightly nutty note is suitable for potato salad, fried potatoes or potato casserole.

Tips for preparing blue potatoes

Basically, you can prepare blue potatoes in the same way as regular potatoes. According to a study, the content of the vegetable pigment anthocyanin changes depending on the temperature and pH value. In addition, the substance is water-soluble, which is why the color often fades somewhat after cooking.

The following tips will help you preserve the color:
Cook the blue potatoes with a little water. Cook them whole to keep the color in the potato.
Use non-water cooking methods. You can prepare blue potatoes in the oven or as roast potatoes without pre-cooking.
Steam cooking is also a suitable method for preparing the colorful tubers. With this gentle method, the dye and nutrients are well preserved.

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Potato Varieties: You Should Know These

Potato varieties come in many colors and shapes. They differ in terms of ripening time and purpose. This article gives you an overview of the common varieties. We also introduce you to old potato varieties.

Waxy potato varieties

Waxy potatoes contain less starch than floury potatoes. This means that the tubers keep their shape even when cooked. Waxy potatoes are particularly good for:
fried potatoes
potato salad
potato gratin
These waxy potato varieties are particularly popular:
Linda: The potato variety is known for its good shelf life. Despite its firm consistency, it has a soft and creamy taste.
Sieglinde: The early potato variety forms elongated to oval tubers. The skin is yellow and smooth, while the flesh is considered to be particularly flavorful. The Sieglinde has a long tradition in Germany and is particularly popular here.
Nicola: The variety was named Potato Variety of the Year in 2016. It tastes slightly sweet and yet earthy. Their elongated tubers are among the medium-early potatoes.
La Ratte: The French variety impresses with its fine nutty taste. La Ratte is one of the medium-early varieties and stands out because of its squishy, ​​croissant-shaped tuber. It is traditionally used for gratins.

Predominantly waxy potato varieties

Predominantly waxy potatoes burst easily when cooked and are slightly softer than waxy potatoes. They are especially useful for
Boiled and boiled potatoes
fries
baked potatoes
These varieties are among the predominantly waxy potatoes:
Granola: The round to oval tubers are typically yellow in color. The medium-early variety was voted Potato Variety of the Year in 2014.
Laura: The skin of the potato variety is red, while the flesh is yellow. It is particularly popular because of its strong taste.
Bintje: Characteristic of this medium-early variety are its mild, creamy taste and its typically long-oval tubers.
Red Emmalie: The potato of the year 2018 is characterized by its red flesh and skin. It was bred by organic farmer Karsten Ellenberg and is said to be easy to grow. The early variety has a spicy taste and a fine consistency.

Floury potato varieties

Floury potato varieties have the highest starch content. As a result, they are significantly softer after cooking and can be easily mashed with a fork. The tubers of floury varieties are often significantly larger than those of waxy varieties. Floury potatoes are best suited for these dishes:
Mashed potatoes
Soup
potato pancakes
gnocchi
The following varieties are floury potato varieties:
Augusta: The early potato variety has round to oval tubers, while the skin is rather rough. The taste is mild and aromatic. The variety stores well.
Alma: The Alma is particularly striking because of its particularly light, almost white flesh. It is also particularly productive.
Agria: The variety is cultivated particularly frequently in Germany. It is one of the medium-early varieties and can be stored well.
Gala: The variety is one of the early potato varieties. Their yellow flesh is considered particularly aromatic. The tubers are round to oval and have a fine skin.

Old potato varieties

Old potato varieties have been forgotten more and more over time. The varieties are usually not particularly lucrative for conventional cultivation, as they require more care and yield less. In recent years, however, some farmers and organic farms have tried to preserve old potato varieties.

Like other varieties of potatoes, old varieties are divided according to the degree of ripeness and purpose. You often come across old varieties, especially at markets and in farm shops. If you plant old potatoes in your own garden, you can help preserve variety by choosing old varieties. You can buy the seeds for this from some clubs and organic farms.

Here are a few old potato varieties:
Bamberger Hörnchen: The variety is also called Bamberger Krumbeere and is one of the medium-late varieties. The squirrels are easily recognizable by their characteristic shape and yellow-pink skin. The potato variety is one of the waxy potatoes.
Highland Burgundy Red: The Scottish potato variety is considered a rarity, although it has been around since the beginning of the 20th century. The floury potato is particularly noticeable because of its red flesh and oval shape. It is one of the medium late varieties.
Mecklenburg pinto: The exotic rarity comes from Mecklenburg. The variety is oval and oblong in shape. While their skin is dark purple, the flesh is white and blue veined. The taste is reminiscent of chestnuts.
Vitelotte: The Vitelotte is one of the purple potatoes and is characterized by its elongated shape and dark skin. The blue and white marbled flesh has a strong and bitter taste.

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Seed Potatoes: Difference to Ware Potatoes, Varieties and More

Seed potatoes are also known as seed potatoes because they are used to sow new potato plants. Here we explain what distinguishes them from conventional ware potatoes and what is important when buying them.

Seed potatoes form the basis for potato cultivation: new potato tubers develop from their sprouts. They are therefore also called seed potatoes or seed potatoes. But doesn’t every potato sprout and can be used for sowing? In fact, it’s not that simple.

In this article you will find out where the differences between seed potatoes and ware potatoes are and what you should consider when choosing seed potatoes.

What is the difference between seed potatoes and ware potatoes?

At first glance, seed potatoes and ware potatoes look alike. But looks are deceptive – seed potatoes are grown and treated differently:
Since seed potatoes are not meant to be eaten, the size of the tubers is not that relevant. The plants are placed closer together. This creates more but smaller tubers.
So that the ability to germinate is preserved as well as possible, seed potatoes are stored at two to a maximum of six degrees Celsius. This is not necessary for table potatoes.
Conventional ware potatoes are often treated with sprout inhibitors such as chloropam. This allows them to be stored longer without expelling. Since seed potatoes should germinate as well as possible for cultivation, they are not treated with such agents. For this reason, they are in principle also suitable for consumption. But because of the higher price and the smaller tubers, this is rather unusual.
Before seed potatoes can be sold, they are tested for viruses and bacteria, as well as other diseases and pests. Some viruses and bacteria damage the roots during growth, while they are harmless to health due to the high temperatures when cooking. The focus of the test is primarily on pests such as potato nematodes.
Potatoes that are designated as seed potatoes are always of the same variety. This means that the variety you bought as a seed potato and planted in your garden will also grow back. In principle, you can buy seed potatoes in all varieties that are also available as ware potatoes.

Are seed potatoes necessary?

Are seed potatoes really necessary when potatoes sprout anyway? So that you can plant potatoes in your garden, it is usually sufficient to plant sprouted ware potatoes. On the other hand, if the harvested potatoes are intended for sale, you must use seed potatoes.

These are the disadvantages of using regular table potatoes as seed potatoes:
Potato plants from ware potatoes are often less productive.
If you keep taking a potato from the harvest to plant it next year, the plants usually become weaker and more susceptible to diseases.
You should pay attention to this if you want to use table potatoes as seed potatoes:
Be sure to only use untreated potatoes. Treated potatoes must be labeled. The packaging then says: “Treated after harvest.” Potatoes from organic farming must not be treated with germicides or chemical pesticides.
It is best to use a particularly strong potato with several eyes, i.e. starting points for new shoots.
Larger potatoes with enough eyes can also be divided before planting.

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Alkaline Tea: Application, Varieties and Whether it is Really Useful

Basic tea can be prepared from different types of herbal tea. We’ll tell you how to use alkaline tea and whether it has positive effects.

Basic tea: definition and application

In the commercial sector, some tea blends are offered as “alkaline tea”. This means that these food products are above 7 on the pH scale and are alkaline rather than acidic. They are therefore suitable for an alkaline diet. Because alkaline tea is supposed to flush out the acids and pollutants from the body.

Alkaline tea is a suitable alternative to water if you are doing an alkaline treatment or eat an alkaline diet. For example, one tea maker recommends drinking three to five cups of alkaline tea daily.

Alkaline tea as part of an alkaline diet

Followers of an alkaline diet generally assume that the human body is overly acidic. According to this theory, acidic foods, coffee drinks, alcohol, and stress imbalance many people’s acid-base balance. This hyperacidity can trigger various diseases. In order to detoxify the body again, acid-forming foods should be reduced and alkaline-forming foods such as fruit, vegetables or herbs should be increased. Basic tea should also contribute to this.

Types of tea that are considered alkaline teas

Basic tea hides various herbal mixtures. These include the following ingredients:
fennel
Ginger
peppermint
rosemary
sage
thyme
Some herbal teas have been in use since the 5th century B.C. used as medicinal tea. Within the last 200 years, herbal tea has been used more and more as a stimulant in addition to its medicinal function. Today, herbal tea can be found in many medicine cabinets. Alkaline teas, i.e. herbal teas, are not prescribed by conventional medicine. In naturopathy, on the other hand, which promotes an alkaline diet, types of tea are prescribed for recovery. In another article we will inform you which types of tea you should know and what effects they have.

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Citrus Fruits: Important Varieties, Effects and What You Should Know

Citrus fruits are popular types of fruit, they taste fresh and are also healthy. In this article you will find out what you should know about lemon, orange and co.

Citrus fruits are among the most commonly grown fruits in the world, according to statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN).

Historically, people first enjoyed the scent and appearance of citrus plants and fruits. For example, in the fourth century BC, at the time of Alexander the Great, essential oils were used as fragrances and medicines. Christopher Columbus also had the fruit, which was not yet edible at the time, in his luggage for America. In the 16th century in Germany, aristocrats and the wealthy had so-called orangeries built, special gardens or greenhouses for citrus plants. The first edible citrus fruits were not cultivated until the 17th century. Due to their high vitamin content, the fruits were particularly popular with seafarers.

What are citrus fruits anyway?

Citrus fruits taste fresh, intense and also contain plenty of water and few calories. They grow on evergreen trees or large shrubs. The growth height of the plants is between five and 25 meters. The flowers of the citrus plants are usually white, the ripe fruits are green, yellow or orange. The size of the fruit also varies depending on the variety and can be between one and 30 centimeters. By the way: From a biological point of view, citrus fruits are a special form of berries (endocarp berries).

Citrus fruits are coated in a layer of wax that primarily serves as protection. The shell consists of two layers: a yellowish to orange and a whitish tissue layer. The outer layer (exocarp) contains essential oils. These give the fruit and the leaves their typically intense smell. The whitish layer (mesocarp) contains pectin, a substance used as a vegetable gelling agent. The pulp inside is divided into columns and covered by thin membranes. These fruit compartments contain juice sacs and seeds.

Citrus fruits are real vitamin C bombs. Vitamin C helps, among other things, to strengthen the immune system and stimulate the metabolism. For example, oranges contain 53 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams of fruit, a lemon 50 milligrams. As a guideline: The German Society for Nutrition sets the daily vitamin C requirement of an adult at 95 to 110 milligrams. Other vitamins and minerals such as folic acid, potassium, calcium or magnesium can also be found in citrus fruits, albeit in small amounts.

Important varieties of citrus fruits

There are said to be around 1,600 types of citrus fruits worldwide. A reference list for citrus varieties drawn up by the UN Economic Commission (UNECE) (with supplements from the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food) provides an overview of numerous varieties on the market. The taste ranges from bitter to sweet to sour. There are different ways of categorizing citrus fruits. One comes from US citrus expert Walter Tennyson Swingle:

Kumquats: Kumquats are small, orange fruits. They taste sweet and sour and are edible with the skin.
Limes: Limes are green, round fruits. They taste sour. Lime juice is often part of mixed drinks.
Tangerines: Tangerines are considered the ultimate winter fruit. They taste sweet and fresh. The mandarin family includes clementines and satsumas. Mandarins have many seeds, clementines almost none.
Oranges: Oranges are big, round and – as the name suggests – orange. They are extremely juicy and sweet. The orange juice squeezed from it is popular. The term orange is common in Northern Germany. The varieties bitter orange or bergamot are also included. The latter is very acidic and is rarely eaten, but rather used as a fragrance.
Grapefruit: Grapefruit are large, usually pear-shaped to rounded fruits. This variety includes pomelo, grapefruit, and pomelos, all of which taste slightly bitter. Incidentally, the pomelo is considered the archetype of many citrus fruits: the orange came from the pomelo and mandarine, and the grapefruit from the pomelo and orange.
Lemons: Lemons can be used in many ways and refine numerous dishes and drinks. They taste refreshingly sour.
Citron: This variety is considered the first citrus plant to be brought to Europe. It tastes rather bitter and is rich in fragrances. When used, the middle skin layer (mesocarp) is mostly used to flavor dishes.

How to use citrus fruits

You can use citrus fruits in many ways. They are mostly eaten raw. You can use both the juice and the peel. Be sure to use organic quality here due to the pesticide contamination. Some uses are:

Zest for refining cakes and pastries
Juice as an addition to water or cocktails
Juice as a refinement for dishes such as soups, cakes, sauces, rice or vegetables
pectin as a gelling agent
Peel and juice as a cleaner: Halved citrus fruit for removing limescale and dirt, such as cleaning stainless steel pots. It is best to do this with half of the fruit that has already been squeezed out so that you do not waste food unnecessarily.

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Old Apple Varieties: That’s Why They’re Healthier

Old apple varieties were long forgotten, but now they are experiencing a renaissance. Because they not only provide more taste variety and biodiversity, but are also healthier – especially for allergy sufferers.

What are old apple varieties?

Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, Gala: These three apple varieties are among the “usual suspects” in supermarket fruit displays. There you will find just a small fraction of the estimated 2,000 apple varieties that exist in Germany. Only about 20 varieties are grown in economically significant quantities. The other varieties can only be found in certain regions, for example, in the gardens of hobby gardeners and self-sufficient people or on meadow orchards. These include many so-called “old apple varieties”, such as Berlepsch, Boskoop, Cox Orange or the Gravensteiner.

Old apple varieties have been cultivated in this country for a long time, sometimes for centuries. However, they have not been overbred like many of the most popular apple varieties in the supermarket. In particular, conventional apples are bred in such a way that they are resistant to plant diseases or are easy to store and transport. These breeds are often at the expense of the ingredients and the variety of tastes. Old varieties, on the other hand, have retained their unique taste.

What makes old apple varieties particularly healthy?

In addition to their special aroma, old apple varieties are also interesting because of their health benefits. These were mainly due to the high polyphenol content in old apple varieties.

Polyphenols are aromatic compounds that are mostly found in or just under the apple skin. There is research by the BUND Group Lemgo in cooperation with the allergy center of the Charité Berlin on the polyphenol content in old apple varieties. They have shown that the high amount of polyphenols apparently contributes to the fact that many apple allergy sufferers can tolerate old apple varieties without any problems. And that’s not all: the studies also showed that people who were allergic to apples had fewer problems with hay fever if they regularly consumed the well-tolerated varieties. In adults, hay fever often occurs in combination with an apple allergy.

Polyphenols are found in much larger amounts in old apple varieties because they were bred from new varieties. According to the NDR, polyphenols normally ensure that the pulp turns brown after the apple has been cut. Such breeds no longer have the alleged problem of an unappetizing appearance, but they also lack the health-promoting effect of the polyphenols in the apple.

In addition to positive effects for apple allergy sufferers, polyphenols have also been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and blood pressure-regulating properties.

Why old apple varieties are important

Breeding and crossing of different apple varieties have been taking place for centuries. Over time, a large variety of varieties, flavors, shapes and colors has emerged. But there is not much left of this diversity today. The modern, global economic system focuses on maximizing yield and year-round availability of apples. As a result, apples are mainly only grown in such a way that they are easy to transport, store and resistant.

So far, old apple varieties have not been able to assert themselves against the mass of optimized supermarket apples. But thanks to the increasing interest in sustainability and organic farming, many old apple varieties are being rediscovered. Efforts are being made to conserve or revive these varieties so they don’t die out completely. This promotes variety.

The environment and regional agriculture also benefit from the growing interest in old apple varieties. Some of these strains only thrive in certain regions. Local farmers have less work with apple varieties that are perfectly adapted to the environment. And consumers can be sure that they are shopping in a more environmentally friendly way if they choose seasonal and regional apples.

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Cooking Tips

The Fine Difference: About the Coffee Varieties Arabica and Robusta

Altogether, over 100 types of coffee are known, but only two of them are really relevant for the coffee drinker: Arabica and Robusta. But what is the difference between these two types?

Arabica or Robusta? Arabica is often sold to us as “the better coffee”. But is there something to it?

Until the discovery of Robusta at the end of the 19th century, Arabica was the only decisive plant in commercial coffee cultivation, but it has its pitfalls. The Arabica plant is very susceptible to diseases such as coffee rust, which affects the leaves and ultimately causes the entire plant to die. In addition, it is only suitable for certain climatic conditions. The Arabica plant only grows at certain altitudes, which ideally have temperatures of 18 to 22 degrees. In addition, too much wind, humidity and heat cause problems for the Arabica. The Robusta, on the other hand, lives up to its name: It is insensitive to diseases such as coffee rust and tolerates more heat and moisture.

The outside of the bean (appearance)

At first glance, it seems difficult to tell Arabica and Robusta beans apart, as the two beans look very similar. Here are a few features to guide you. The Arabica bean has an elongated, oval shape and is larger than the Robusta bean. Where this has a small, rounded shape. Another distinguishing feature, which is more popular than found common enough to be identified as a feature, is the indentation in the middle. In the case of the Arabica bean, this is S-shaped, whereas in the case of the Robusta bean, it is often wider and straight.

Most important: taste

The Arabica beans often taste fruity, aromatic and less bitter. Remain sweet in the taste range. To put it bluntly, the beans of the Robusta coffees have something “mouldy”. They taste earthy or nutty, and have notes of wood or leather in their taste. In general, they are also stronger and have more bitter substances. This is why Robusta beans are more dominant in terms of taste in a bean mixture than their bean partner Arabica.

Acid & caffeine: Key ingredients

Raw Robusta beans have nearly double the caffeine and chlorogenic acid content compared to the raw Arabica bean variety. When the roasting begins, however, many things change in the bean types. While the percentage of caffeine hardly decreases, the proportion of chlorogenic acid decreases over time and depending on the roasting process. However, the acid does not disappear completely. It is partially converted into aromatic substances, from where the bean gets its certain intensity. Overall, this results in the Arabica bean having a light, mild and floral flavor and a defined acidity. The Robusta bean, on the other hand, has a much more distinctive, earthy and nutty taste. To explain: Chlorogenic acid is an ester of caffeic acid and is also found in nettles, valerian and St. John’s wort. It is debatable whether it is predominantly positive or negative for the human organism.

About the plant: Cultivation and harvest of the bean varieties

The Arabica plant reaches a height of approx. 2 to 5 meters in cultivated cultivation and needs a temperature of 15 to 20 degrees and an annual rainfall of between 1200 and 2200mm for good growth. This bean can be optimally grown at an altitude of 600 m and up to approx. 2300 m. It usually takes 7 years from cultivation to the first harvest. Well-known growing areas of the Arabica bean are South America, Africa, Australia and Indonesia. The Robusta plant grows to a height of up to 7 meters in the cultivated area. Ideal climatic conditions are: 2200 – 3000mm of precipitation, 18 to 36 degrees temperature, and a cultivation height of up to approx. 600 metres. Central growing areas are Vietnam, India, Africa and Indonesia. The great advantage of the Robusta bean becomes apparent during the harvest: Since the ripe cherries simply get stuck on the branches, they are much easier to harvest than the falling (and then quickly rotting) Arabica beans.

The beans in world trade

Robusta is significantly more economical than the Arabica bean due to the cultivation height and the easier harvest. This also explains the difference in price: Robusta coffee costs only a fraction of Arabica coffee. Nevertheless (or perhaps because of this) only 25% of the coffee grown worldwide is Robusta. The Robusta bean is used in many mass roasts and in various instant coffees. Although there are high-quality Robusta bean varieties that are grown in India, Ecuador and Brazil, these tend to go under due to a lack of market presence.

Roasting – what makes the bean tasty

The time to maturity increases the higher the corresponding coffee bean is grown. When roasting, the degree of browning can be adjusted individually – the longer the bean is roasted, the stronger the bean tastes. It is roasted at a temperature between 180 and 220 degrees. In the process, amino acids and sugars are reassembled, resulting in the formation of an estimated 1,000 aromas or chemical compounds. The longer a bean is roasted, the less acid and the more bitter substances it contains.

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Eating Leeks Raw: What You Should Consider with Winter Varieties

Wondering if you can safely eat leeks raw? We have the answer and will show you what to look out for when eating raw vegetables.

Leeks – also known as leeks – contain many healthy ingredients, such as iron and magnesium as well as vitamin C and vitamin K. You can buy them from regional cultivation almost all year round (from July to April).

A distinction is made between summer leeks, which grow in the summer months, and winter leeks, which are grown in the winter months. The difference between the two varieties lies in the taste: the winter leek is much hotter and more bitter.
So you can use leeks in the kitchen almost all year round. But you can not only cook or fry leeks, you can also eat them raw. The advantage of this is that the many nutrients and vitamins are retained and, unlike with cooking or frying, are not lost. In another article, you will learn more about why you should eat vegetables raw.

Eat leeks raw – you should pay attention to this

With our little hints you can safely eat not only the summer leek, but also the tart winter leek raw:

Especially if you want to eat leeks raw, you should cut leeks and wash them well to remove the soil between the leaves.
Raw leeks taste similar to onions. That’s why you’re less likely to bite into a leek than into a crunchy apple. On the other hand, it is good to chop raw leeks finely and add them as an ingredient in a salad, for example.


As already described above, the winter varieties are tart and sometimes quite hot. They differ in this from the summer varieties. Would you like to eat raw leeks in winter too? You can take the spiciness out of the winter leek by blanching it briefly in apple juice or water.

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Apple Varieties: Old and New Apples and What They are Good For

Apple varieties: You should know these old and new apple varieties

Depending on where you shop, you probably know a handful of apple varieties and can identify them. But how do they actually differ? This image gallery introduces you to important apple varieties and shows when and how to use them.

The apple variety Boskop

The Boskop apple variety produces particularly large apples and is usually red-green in colour, only the “red Boskop” is red. Taste & Use: The Boskop tastes tart and sour and is considered an intense apple that some find too sour – ideal for applesauce and baked apples, for cooking and baking. Sustainability: This apple variety originally comes from Boskoop in the Netherlands, but is now also native to Germany. The season lasts from late September to mid-October, then from storage to March. Worth knowing: The apple contains few apple allergens.

The Topaz: often organic

Topaz is a young apple variety that was bred in the Czech Republic in the mid-1980s. The basic color of the apple is pastel yellow with red stripes, speckles or red colored areas. Taste & Use: The firm, tangy flesh makes the Topaz an all-rounder – it can be used for cooking and baking and tastes fresh and lemony. Sustainability: Because the Topaz is considered to be robust and not very susceptible to diseases, it is often used in organic fruit cultivation. Although the Topaz apple comes from the Czech Republic, it is grown throughout Central Europe. Season from the end of September, until March still from storage. Worth knowing: The allergy potential of Topaz is comparatively low.

Berlepsch: old apple variety with lots of vitamin C

The old apple variety Goldrenette Freiherr von Berlepsch was bred in 1880 on the Lower Rhine. It is flat round with a brown-red base color and light brown spots. Taste & use: The Berlepsch is highly aromatic with balanced acidity and, with its very crisp and juicy flesh, is a great table apple. Sustainability: The apple variety likes mild and moist soils, such as those on the Lower Rhine, where it is also cultivated a lot. The Berlepsch is freshly harvested from mid-September and is available as a good storage apple until the end of March.

Apple variety Santana: for allergy sufferers

The apple variety Santana has been on the market since 1996. The Santana is large, spherical and often has a greasy skin. On the sunny side it is bright red, otherwise yellow. Taste & use: The apple tastes slightly sour with a delicate tropical aroma and is suitable as a table apple, for cooking and baking. Sustainability: Once bred in the Netherlands, the Santana is now grown throughout Central Europe. The harvest begins in September. It can only be stored for a limited time (see: Storing apples): its quality decreases from January and you should avoid it then.

Summer apple: Gravensteiner

The Gravensteiner is a very old apple variety and has been known since 1669. The often crooked apples with a very oily, waxy skin come in color variations from green to red with yellow. Taste & use: The strong, spicy apple smells very intense and can be used for all preparation purposes. Sustainability: The Gravensteiner is grown in the north of the world, in Europe mainly in Scandinavia. This apple variety is a summer apple: it is harvested from August. Due to its poor storability, it is rarely offered until the winter months.

Apple variety that always tastes good: Rubinette

The Rubinette was not bred, but happened by chance in Switzerland in the mid-1960s. The yellow-orange-red coloring of the Rubinette Rossa can also be very red. Taste & use: The Rubinette apple variety has an intense fragrance and a very balanced apple aroma and is mainly consumed as a table apple. Sustainability: The apples grow up to medium altitudes and are therefore often grown in regions that are not typical for apples. Rubinette is harvested in mid-September, but does not store well, so sales usually end in December.

Elstar: classic among the varieties

Elstar is an apple variety bred in the Netherlands in 1955 from Golden Delicious and Ingrid Marie. Its fruits are spherical and bright orange-red with yellow. Taste & use: Elstar is a sweet apple variety with a slight acidity and intensely spicy aroma with citrus and banana notes and is a good all-rounder for all types of preparation. Sustainability: Elstar is the apple most grown in Germany. The harvest takes place in September. It can only be stored to a limited extent and is therefore available until February at the latest.

Pinova: Apple variety from Dresden

The Pinova was bred in Dresden from the apple varieties Clivia and Golden Delicious. The medium-sized apples, tapering downwards, are golden yellow with partly large areas of orange-red. Taste & use: The rather coarse but firm flesh is slightly reminiscent of quince. Pinova apples are ideal for eating raw. Sustainability: The Pinova apple variety likes it warm and sunny and grows, for example, in the Rhineland, in the Old Country and around its “birthplace” Dresden. The Pinova is in season from the end of September. It can be stored until May, but then it becomes increasingly sweet and dry in taste.

Jona Gold: Central Europe’s most apple variety

The ball-sized, yellow to strawberry-red Jonagold apples were bred in the USA from Golden Delicious and Jonathan. Taste & Use: The flesh is yellowish and juicy and becomes soft after prolonged storage. Jonagold apples have a full-bodied sweet taste with a fine acidity and balanced aroma. Jonagold is equally suitable as a table apple as it is for baking and cooking. Sustainability: Although the Jonagold originally comes from the USA, it is now the most cultivated apple variety in Central Europe. In northern Germany, the Jonagored variant matures better. Jonagold is harvested from October and can be stored extremely well, so it can still be on sale until June.

Granny Smith – not a ‘green’ apple?

The light green Granny Smith is one of the best-known apple varieties. Discovered in Australia in 1868 by “Granny” Maria Ann Smith, it conquered the global fruit market thanks to its good transport properties. Taste & Use: Because of its pronounced acidity, Granny Smith is well suited for baking and cooking. Sustainability: This apple variety cannot be grown in Germany and comes at least from South Tyrol, but mostly from Chile, New Zealand or Australia in our fruit basket. From southern Europe he comes to us from October. In the southern hemisphere, Granny Smith is harvested in our spring and is therefore available “fresh” from April – with a corresponding ecological footprint.

Golden Delicious: cooking and baking apple

The Golden Delicious apple variety is an old apple variety from the USA. The apples are greenish to creamy yellow and uniform in shape. Taste & use: Good, sweet-aromatic table apple that does not disintegrate much when heated and is therefore also suitable for cooking and baking. Sustainability: The Golden Delicious is rarely grown in Germany and mainly comes to our stores from Italy, Austria or Switzerland. The season starts in mid-September. Thanks to its good shelf life, Golden Delicious can be offered until June, but the long refrigeration then increases its ecological footprint. Worth knowing: In the GDR, the Golden Delicious was grown excessively as a “yellow delicious”.

Gala Royal: Take a close look at the origin of the apple!

The Gala Royal apple is a variety of the Gala apple variety that was bred in 1970 and comes from New Zealand. The well-formed fruits are orange-red with yellow and only medium-sized. Taste & Use: The pale yellow flesh is very sweet and juicy and can be used in both cold and warm dishes. Sustainability: The Gala Royal is mainly grown in southern Germany and Switzerland, but for the European market it mostly comes from New Zealand and Chile and has correspondingly long transport routes behind it. European fruits of this apple variety are harvested in September and can only be stored until the end of winter. Gala Royal apples, which we offer in spring, are guaranteed to come from growing countries in the southern hemisphere.

Cox Orange: in spring from New Zealand

The Cox Orange already has its coloring in its name. The orange-red apple variety was discovered in England in 1825. Taste & Use: Like many old apple varieties, the Cox Orange has a distinctive, very balanced aroma with an intense smell and pleasant acidity. It is ideal for all types of preparation. Sustainability: Cox Orange likes a maritime climate and is rarely grown in Germany. He is mainly from England and New Zealand. If the Cox Orange comes from Germany or neighboring countries, it is in season from September. Apples that are sold from April mostly come from New Zealand. Worth knowing: The apple variety is highly allergenic and not suitable for apple allergy sufferers.

Determine apple varieties

Determining apple varieties is not that easy. In any case, only five to fifteen varieties are usual in the trade and as a consumer you have to go to special suppliers in order to be able to enjoy other and particularly old apple varieties.

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Cooking Tips

Mushrooms as a Meat Substitute: Which Varieties and How They are Suitable for This

Mushrooms are well suited as a meat substitute – both because of their nutritional values and because of their consistency. We will explain to you which varieties are particularly suitable and how to prepare the mushrooms as a vegan meat substitute.

In addition to tofu, seitan, lupine, tempeh and co, you can also use mushrooms as a meat substitute – and thus avoid animal products. We give you tips on how to use mushrooms properly in vegan cuisine.

Mushrooms as a meat substitute: These varieties are suitable

Mushrooms may initially seem a bit more exotic as a meat substitute than is the case with tofu, for example. Both the al dente consistency and the nutritional values speak in favor of using them as an alternative to meat. Among the various types of mushrooms, mushrooms, oyster and herb mushrooms, portobello and shiitake are particularly suitable as meat substitutes.

After all, they have large amounts of protein and only a few fats. They are also low in calories because mushrooms are two-thirds water. They also contain important minerals, such as magnesium or calcium, and lots of vitamins B, C and D.

Keep in mind, however, that despite being high in protein, mushrooms do not contain the same amount of protein as meat. In combination with legumes, you can add even more plant-based protein to your diet.

How to cook mushrooms as a meat substitute

Thoroughly clean your mushrooms with a brush or damp tea towel before cooking them. You can then steam, stew, roast or boil the mushrooms for a mushroom pan, for example. It is also possible to pickle them in oil and vinegar or eat them raw in a salad, for example as a mushroom salad. It is best to wait until the end to season your mushroom dish so that the mushrooms do not become tough.

You can use the individual types of mushrooms in different ways as a meat substitute: If you cut them lengthways, king oyster mushrooms and portobellos are good substitutes for schnitzels or burger patties or for the grill. Oyster mushrooms are also a vegan variant of the classic schnitzel because you can bread and fry this type of mushroom well. Mushrooms can be used to make mushroom patties or mushroom goulash, for example, and you can use shiitake mushrooms as a meat substitute for soups or stews.

Things to know about buying and storing mushrooms

Mushrooms as a meat substitute have another advantage: They are in season almost all year round. You can find other season times in our Utopia season calendar. In late summer and autumn you can go mushroom picking in the forest yourself. Alternatively, it is best to buy your mushrooms regionally – for example at the weekly market or in the organic market around the corner. Mushrooms, for example, are grown all year round.

When buying, make sure that the mushrooms do not show any mold, bruises or an unpleasant smell. The organic seal also guarantees you that they are free of chemical-synthetic pesticides.

Store your mushrooms in cool temperatures if possible. They will keep in the vegetable drawer of your fridge for up to three days. Wrap them in a paper bag or tea towel. It is important that some air gets to the mushrooms. But be careful: if you keep them together with other foods, they may take on their smell. To make them last longer, you should freeze your mushrooms, preferably in screw-top jars in the freezer.

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