ingredients: October 2006 Archives

Who was Granny Smith?  The apple is named after Maria Ann Smith, who first propagated the variety in Australia in 1868, apparently by chance.  It is thought to be a cross between a wild species and a domesticated one.  Maria and her husband had been recruited to come to New South Wales from England 30 years earlier due to their agricultural skills.  The apple was then widely grown in New Zealand, then introduced to England in 1935 and the USA in 1972.

A fresh Granny Smith will be bright green, firm, heavy, shiny and with a tight skin, as depicted on the logo of Apple Records, known for releasing Beatles tunes from 1968 onwards (and for fighting with Apple Computers over use of the apple).

Granny Smiths are great for eating, cooking and salads as they are so juicy, crunchy and tart.  They also go brown less quickly than other apples once cut.  To ensure your slices don't go brown you can rub them with a wedge of lemon.

Ricotta is an Italian cheese made from the whey resulting from the production of mozzarella, provolone and other cheeses.  The name means 're-cooked', because the whey is processed for a second time when it is used to make the ricotta.

Ricotta is a good source of calcium.  This is because most of the calcium in milk is contained in the watery whey ('buttermilk') part, rather than the creamy 'butterfat' component.

Ricotta can be preserved through salting, baking or smoking.  For the Amarone-poached figs recipe it is essential to use fresh ricotta, which should be soft, bright white and mild in flavour.  It goes off easily so eat within a week of purchasing.

You can make ricotta yourself using nothing but whole milk, white distilled vinegar and salt...

Figs were one of the first plants to be cultivated by humans.  Recent evidence found suggests they were cultivated in the Jordan Valley as early as 9400-9200 BC, ie before the first cereals were domesticated.  

The fig is actually a fig/flower - the tiny flowers are clustered inside.