Tutti Apples
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Tutti apples are a medium to large varietal, averaging 7 to 8 centimeters in diameter, and have an oblong, round, or oblate shape with broad shoulders sloping to a flat base. The apples generally average 298 grams in weight and have smooth, taut, and firm skin. The skin is semi-thick, faintly glossy, and covered in russet dots and prominent green-brown lenticels. There is also the occasional russet found in the apple’s stem cavity. The skin ripens to golden yellow hues and is almost entirely enveloped in a red blush. The blush ranges from solid to transparent and sometimes features lightly defined striping. Underneath the surface, Tutti apples have pale yellow flesh that is fine-grained, light, and aqueous with a crisp consistency. The skin offers a touch of chewiness to the firm flesh, and the flesh encases a small central core filled with tiny black-brown seeds. Ripe Tutti apples feel heavy for their size, an indication of high juice content, and release a sweet aroma. The apples are edible raw or cooked and have a mild, fresh, and sweet taste with subtle vinous nuances.
Seasons/Availability
Tutti apples are harvested from late summer through fall, typically between late September and early October. Once picked, the variety can be professionally stored and sold for eight months after harvest.
Current Facts
Tutti apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are a mid-season variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. The apples grow on spreading, deciduous trees reaching 2 to 3 meters in height and are a distinct variety specifically bred to be grown in hot climates. Tutti apples are branded as a climate-resistant variety designed to appease both the needs of the consumer and grower. The apples are favored for their sweet taste, light, crisp consistency, and extended storage capabilities and were commercially released in 2023. The name Tutti was derived from Italian, meaning “all together” or “everyone,” a descriptor embodying the collaborative nature of the apple’s creation. Tutti apples were developed through the Hot Climate Partnership, an innovative collective of several companies based in New Zealand and Spain, and the variety was created out of the desire to breed an apple that could survive in climatic conditions unsuitable for other apple varieties. Since their release, Tutti apples are positioned as commercial apples sold in fresh markets for retail consumers and are valued as a fresh eating and culinary cultivar.
Nutritional Value
Tutti apples have not been extensively studied for their nutritional properties. Apples, in general, are a source of fiber to help digestion and potassium to replenish electrolytes and balance fluid levels within the body. Apples also provide vitamins A, C, E, and K to maintain healthy organs, strengthen the immune system, guard the cells against the damage caused by free radicals, and aid in faster wound healing. Beyond vitamins, apples contain calcium to support bones and teeth, magnesium to control nerve functions, iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, copper to create connective tissues, and zinc. The apple's pigmented skin contains anthocyanins, natural compounds with antioxidant-like properties to reduce inflammation.
Applications
Tutti apples have a fresh, sweet, and mild flavor suited for raw and cooked preparations. The variety is promoted for its ability to be eaten out of hand, providing a light, crisp, and juicy consistency mixed with a sweet apple taste. Tutti apples are favored as an on-the-go snack, and the fruits are also chopped into salads, slaws, and fruit medleys. The variety can be sliced and served on cheese boards, layered into sandwiches for a crisp bite, or used as a topping over yogurt, cottage cheese, and other breakfast dishes. Try blending Tutti apples into smoothies, juices, and shakes for a sweet flavoring. In addition to fresh preparations, Tutti apples can be simmered into sauces, jams, and compotes or cooked into syrups. The variety can be mixed with other apple cultivars for increased depth of flavor and is sometimes baked into pies, cakes, crumbles, bread, and muffins. Tutti apples are versatile and can be used in any recipe calling for sweet apples. The variety pairs well with herbs such as mint, cilantro, parsley, and rosemary, other fruits including blueberries, strawberries, and oranges, and flavorings such as maple syrup, vanilla, honey, and chocolate. Tutti apples will keep for several weeks when stored in a cool, dry, and dark location. It is recommended to place the apples in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer for extended storage.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Tutti apples are the first apple variety released from the Hot Climate Partnership, formerly known as the Hot Climate Program. This collaboration between four companies in New Zealand and Spain was established in 2002 when Spanish growers in Catalonia suffered from the sweltering summer daytime heat and warmer evenings. The rising temperatures caused many apple and pear orchards in Catalonia to have damaged crops, a sobering reminder of changing climates. Catalonia is a central growing region for apples in Spain, and the traditional varieties once cultivated in the orchards were becoming unsuited for the changing environment. As a result, the Hot Climate Partnership was formed to bring scientists, innovative thinkers, and researchers together to develop new apple and pear varieties that could withstand warmer climates. The Hot Climate Partnership is comprised of the Spanish Institute of Agri-Food Research and Technology of Catalonia, known as the IRTA, the association of fruit-producing companies in Catalonia called Fruit Futur, VentureFruit, a genetics and variety management company owned by T&G Global in New Zealand, and the Plant & Food Research Centre in New Zealand. Since joining forces, the Hot Climate Partnership has released Tutti apples and has over thirteen new apple and pear varieties in the pipeline for possible commercial release. The varieties are specifically bred to survive and adapt to hot climates.
Geography/History
Tutti apples were developed in 2002 through a collaboration between several companies based in New Zealand and Spain. The variety was created from a cross between Scilate apples, the pollen parent, and Scired apples, the seed parent, and planted in an orchard in Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. The seed of this cross was later sown in orchards in Gimenells near Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, and the first tree was selected in 2007 for evaluation as a new commercial cultivar. It took over twenty years to breed, test, and evaluate Tutti apples, and the variety was initially known under its breeding name HOT84A1. During this period, the cultivar was test-planted in regions throughout Europe, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, and Switzerland, to observe its ability to grow in different climates. In 2020, Tutti apples were revealed to the public as the first apple bred for hot climate regions, and in 2021, the original commercial plantings were made on the Iberian Peninsula in Spain. Tutti apples were commercially debuted in 2023 at the Fruit Logistica trade show in Berlin, Germany. Since their introduction, Tutti apples have been licensed to growers in select regions of Europe and New Zealand for commercial production. The variety was also recently licensed to Copefrut S.A., a Chilean grower, marking the first plantings of Tutti apples in South America.
