Top 36 Western European Pome Fruits

This cultivar of the Pyrus communis species, also known as Rocha, hails from the Portuguese municipalities of Leiria, Santarém, and Lisbon. According to legend, the Pera Rocha was discovered by farmer Pedro Antonio Rocha in the town of Obidos north of Lisbon. Rocha found a pear tree that bore exceptional fruit and shared grafts of the tree with his neighbours and friends, resulting in the rapid spread of the varietal throughout the region. The pears are harvested from August through late September, and the fruit are picked both by hand and mechanically. Rocha do Oeste pears have an elongated oval shape, a light yellow color, and occasional pink spots. The flesh is white, sweet, soft, and slightly grainy, and the fruit is exceptionally juicy and fragrant. It is a great variety for producing fruit juices, jams, and desserts, such as Pera Rocha cozida em bom vinho – pears boiled in red wine topped with sugar and cinnamon.Expand

This variety of apples is characterized by its long shelf life and intense, unique fragrance. They are grown and harvested in the districts of Coimbra, Viseu, Guarda, and Castelo Branco in Portugal. The trees of this varietal bear fruit only when they are three or four years old, but the unique qualities of the fruit make it worth the wait. They have a white peel with some reddish spots dispersed throughout, and a soft, sweet, juicy flesh. These apples are usually eaten raw after a meal, but their intense fragrance can also be put to excellent use when dried to perfume small spaces, such as drawers or cabinets.Expand

Maçã de Alcobaça are apples from the Royal Gala, Red and Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Fuji, Casanova de Alcobaça, Granny Smith and Reineta Parda varieties, characterized by their excellent organoleptic qualities, sweetness and juiciness. The Royal Gala has fine flesh and is very sweet and fragrant. Red Delicious has white-colored flesh, firm texture and an aroma is reminiscent of a pineapple. The Jonagold, Golden and Reineta have a flavorful, bittersweet pulp. Fuji has greenish-white-colored flesh, a very sweet flavor, and a fragrant aroma. The Casanova and the Granny Smith varieties have white flesh, soft texture and a sweet and pleasant taste. The apples are renowned for high levels of natural sugar, their intense smell and bright, shiny colors and are used as a dessert after big meals or eaten fresh as a healthy snack.Expand

Traditionally cultivated in the fertile Non and Sole valleys nestled along the Noce River banks, Mela Val di Non refers to fresh apples of the Golden Delicious, Renetta Canada and Red Delicious varieties, grown within the province of Trento. Depending on the variety, the flesh of these juicy apples ranges from crunchy and sour to pasty and sweet. Being an extremely versatile fruit, Val di Non apples can be used in a wide number of recipes. Golden and Red Delicious varieties are most often found in various starters, salads, pork and game based dishes or even drinks, while Renetta is the main ingredient in numerous desserts such as apple cakes, pies, strudels and fritters.Expand

D'Anjou is a pear variety that originated in Belgium or France in the mid-19th century. The pears are medium to large in size with an egg-shaped appearance. The skin ranges from yellow to light or bright green. The flesh is aromatic and tender in texture, while the flavor is sweet and juicy. Anjou is an all-purpose pear and it's eaten fresh, poached, baked, roasted, or grilled. The flesh is dense and suitable for higher temperatures. Expand

Calville Blanc is the best-known dessert apple of France - with a name that sounds like a wine, the aromas of banana, and containing more vitamin C than an orange, how couldn’t it be? Beneath the skin, the flesh is pale yellow and tender in texture. The flavors are very tart, but not unpleasantly. Due to the flavor character, these apples are often used in sauces, cider, pies, and cider vinegar. They’re harvested from late October to December, and the color and flavor of the apples get warmer and improved once they’ve been stored.Expand

These apples belong to the Golden, Gala, Red Delicious, Starking, Jonagold, Granny Smith, and Jonared Reineta varieties. They are grown in Terras do Demo, literally translated as 'lands of the devil', in the Beira interior, a region named after its harsh climatic conditions with typically cold winters and hot, dry summers. Despite the hellish weather, the apples raised in this region are of excellent quality, and have a distinctive flavor and sweet, juicy flesh. The hot summers with little rain ensure that the fruit develops a deep red skin and high sugar content. Beira Alta apples are usually eaten after meals as a dessert or baked, sprinkled with sugar, and paired with Porto wine.Expand

Also known by their German name Südtiroler Apfeln, Mela Alto Adige are apples grown traditionally in the province of Bolzano and are available in the following varieties: Braeburn, Elstar, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Idared, Jonagold, Morgenduft, Red Delicious, Stayman Winesap, Pinova and Topaz. Settled in a valley nestled at the foot of the Dolomites, Bolzano features a semi-continental climate with hot summers which provides ideal conditions for the slow ripening of Alto Adige apples. They are easily distinguished by a particularly fragrant aroma, firm and juicy flesh and a long shelf-life. Being extremely versatile, the apples of Alto Adige can be enjoyed either fresh or used for preparing various regional desserts some of which are Apfelstrudel, Apfelschmarren - apple fritters or Scheiterhaufen - a type of bread and apple casserole.Expand

Pomme du Limousin is a fresh apple from the Golden delicious variety with a well-balanced flavor of acidity and sweetness, grown in the Limousin region in France. The apples are pale green to yellow in color and have a firm, crispy, juicy, non-floury, white colored flesh. All of the apples are harvested by hand and have exceptionally long shelf life. They are also praised for the high-standard transportation methods - the apples are transported in water in order to avoid any bruising of the fruit. These golden apples are best with foie gras, blood sausage and game meat or in desserts such as pies and crépes.Expand

Juliet is an apple variety originating from France. The apples are medium in size, with a smooth and shiny red skin and a yellow-green or green background. The texture of the flesh is juicy and crisp, while the flavors have a nice balance of sweetness and acidity. It's recommended to eat the apples fresh, cook them, bake them, or transform them into juice. Juliet apples were released to the market in the 1990s, and they are available in the fall and winter months. Due to their long shelf life, these apples are shipped from France to North America, the Middle East and Asia throughout the year.Expand