Valle Grana is an area that is particularly suited to the cultivation of apple trees due to its surprisingly favourable habitat. This is thanks to its wide ranging temperature variations which help to produce great quality fruits. Among the varieties that still characterise this valley and some of the neighbouring areas is the Gamba Fina apple.
The Gamba Fina apple takes its name from its characteristic thin stalk that distinguishes it when compared to other apples. The fruit has a flattened shape with a smooth yellow-green skin and a dark red patch on top. The pulp of Gamba Fina is creamy white with some pink hues, it has a fine texture and a sweet and delicate flavour. This apple is harvested during the first 10 to 20 days of October and is characterised by a long shelf life, even when kept out of the fridge. Generally, it is consumed fresh, sometimes it is used to make juices.
The production of the Gamba Fina apple is not consistent: there are years where there are good harvests while in other years harvests can be scarce. Due to this alternation in its production cycle, which does not give a stable economic return or guarantee a fixed presence on the market, cultivation has been abandoned in favour of more profitable varieties. Recently some producers have taken to cultivating this fruit once again which can be found in limited quantities in local markets.
The research activities necessary for the reporting of this product in the Ark of Taste online catalogue were financed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, the General Directorate of the Tertiary Sector and Corporate Social Responsibility – notice n° 1/2018 “Slow Food in action: communities protagonists of change”, pursuant to Article 72 of the Tertiary Sector Code, referred to in Legislative Decree No. 117/2017.
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