Description
The Manzana de Girona PGI is an apple from the Malus domestica Borkh L. species and is subdivided into four different variants: Golden, Red Delicious, Gala and Granny Smith.
Production Area
The production area of Manzana de Girona PGI is located in different municipal areas in the Girona district, in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia.
Production Method
The density of plantations spans from 2,000 to 3,000 plants per hectare. Pruning consists of the elimination of the oldest branches to find the natural balance of the tree and to enable a right level of lighting. Harvesting starts in different periods depending on varieties: in September for Golden and Red Delicious, in the middle of October for Granny Smith and middle August for Gala. Once harvested, the apples are accurately transported to the industries where they are classified and stored into controlled atmosphere refrigerators until their packaging and transportation to the markets.
Appearance and Flavour
Manzana de Girona PGI Golden is yellow-green coloured with a whitish, aromatic, very crunchy and succulent flesh. The Red Delicious variety has a bright red peel and white flesh with crunchy and sugary taste. The Gala apple features a bicolour peel with different stripes, while the flesh is white and dense, nonfloury and with a sweet flavour. Finally, the Granny Smith variety is deep green in colour with white flesh, firm and with a slightly acidulous taste.
History
The link of the Manzana de Girona PGI with the production area has ancient origins. Indeed, the crest of a famous family reproducing an apple tree goes back to 1300. And this demonstrates that the apple tree cultivation is one of the most ancient ones in the Catalan area and has always had importance for both local economy and diet of the inhabitants who, in the past, considered this apple a dessert. The cultivation of apple tree was expanded at the beginning of past century to increment its marketing. Indeed, in the middle of the 1960s, there was a high development of this cultivation which brought to the establishment of many cooperatives.
Gastronomy
Manzana de Girona PGI must be stored in a fresh area or in the refrigerator in summer. The apple can be eaten fresh or used as an ingredient to prepare different desserts and dishes. The Golden variety is the most suitable to prepare juices and different types of desserts. It can also be cooked and used as cake filling. These apples can also be combined with meat, chicken and duck recipes.
Marketing
The product is sold as Manzana de Girona PGI in the varieties Golden, Red Delicious, Gala and Granny Smith as specified by the regulations. The apples are suitably packed for the transport to the markets where they are sold loose.
Distinctive Features
The taste and characteristics of Manzana de Girona PGI is due to its high level of sugars and its high resistance to stress, in addition to the edaphologic climate of the production area which is ideal to cultivate the apple tree.
