Name

Valle Bronda Apple

Seal of Quality

Prodotto Agroalimentare Tradizionale (PAT) – Typical Food Farming Product.

Description

These superb apples with their unmistakable aspect and high gustatory qualities, grow on land particularly suitable for apple growing, putting to good and careful use the natural resources present in a complete environment. Apple growing here is an ancient tradition which, here in the valleys, finds optimal conditions such as altitude, luminosity, and temperature ranges that enhance the fruit’s organoleptic characteristics, favouring its colouring and making it crispy and juicy.

The yellow-skinned Golden Delicious variety in particular is grown here, as also the numerous red-peel varieties, such as the colourful and aromatic Red Delicious, the early and fragrant Gala, the attractive Jonagold, Jubilee, Elstar, the sweet and crispy Fuji , and other recent and old varieties such as the Morella. Also present and grown are the well-known Rennet, all with a characteristic and acidulous taste.

The “Consorzio Produttori mela della Valle Bronda” has established extremely strict production regulations. So as not to alter the original equilibrium of the environment, plant-protection products of natural and organic origin have been used, thus limiting the use of synthetic products in the period between vegetative revival and pre-blossoming. The land’s yield is guaranteed by integrating the soil’s natural fertility with a contribution solely of organic and farm-produced manure. Management of these plants and their cultivation method are finalised by the vegetative equilibrium, with a careful eye to the position of the branches, so that the fruit is well illuminated

The regulations of the Consortium provide for the maintenance of the grass carpet over the entire surface of the fruit orchard with a total ban on the use of chemical weed killers.

Members of the association are obliged to respect cultivation technique regulations established by the Consortium, and the product obtained must undergo analyses to verify the absence of chemical residues and to define the gustatory quality level at harvest.

The apples thus produced, with their high quality indexes, complete with guarantee of analysis certification and Consortium seal are sold at authorised sales points.

Apple juice is also produced. Obtained by the squashing of apples coming from the Bronda valley, and produced in conformity with the regulations, it is processed and packed in the workroom at the Istituto Professionale Agrario of Verzuolo by each single producer. It takes 2 kg of apples to obtain 1 litre of juice. The varieties of apples utilised are many, and one of the most popular is the Golden Delicious, better if not too ripe, perfect mixed with 10-15% of acidulous varieties such as the Renetta Canada or other old varieties. The apple juice is pasteurised, does not contain preservatives, additives or sugar. It is a natural beverage, non-alcoholic, extremely tasty, suitable to be drunk fresh at any time of day and superb drunk hot for diets or as an excellent thirst-quencher.

Nutritional characteristics

Its high and balanced composition of vitamins and mineral salts make the apple the dietary supplement par excellence. The high presence of polyphenols, antioxidant agents, enemies of free radicals, help to slow down the cell ageing process, and various illnesses such as those related to the cardiovascular system and to cancer formation.

FOOD		Mele fresche – golden
Edible part	%	73
Water	g	86,9
Protein	g	0,4
Fat	g	0,1
Carbohydrates	g	10,7
Starch	g	tr
Soluble sugar	g	10,7
Total fibre	g	1,7
Energy	kcal	43
Kilojoules	kJ	180
Sodium	mg	tr
Potassium	mg	132
Iron	mg	0,2
Calcium	mg	5
Phosphor	mg
Thiamine	mg
Riboflavin	mg
Niacin	mg
Vit A ret. eq.	mcg
Vit C	mg	5
Vit E	mg

Area of production

The production area is the entire Valle Bronda, which includes the communes of Brondello, Pagno and Castellare, and the areas of San Lazzaro in the commune of Saluzzo.

History

Apples have always been cultivated in Valle Bronda, on hilly Piedmontese soils and behind the hilly slopes. In the last century, the oldest and most traditional varieties gradually gave way to the Golden Delicious, and to the large group of red-peel apples. The methods of natural storing inside cellars dug underneath the houses, with the fruit carefully spread out on hay beds, were adapted to the more modern storehouses for specific uses. Even the contractual aspects with fruit traders were changing: over 50 years ago, the crop was estimated, assessed and sold when the apple was still in its blooming period, quite a few months before harvest, at the total risk of the purchaser. Part of the local Saluzzo market has slowly moved to Turin, where many growers now sell their apples directly at local market places, while, in the last ten years, there has been direct selling on farms, which enables the producer to have a good relationship with the consumer who is given information as well as the product, visits to the fruit orchards and full guarantee favoured by the face to face relationship.

In order to give value to and promote the apples of this valley, the “Consorzio Produttori Mela della Valle Bronda” has been founded, with office in Via Roma 3, 12030 Pagno (CN), which has established strict production regulations and which grants its seal solely to apples produced in the area, free of chemical product residues at the moment of sale.

Galleria fotografica