Why fruit picked at peak ripeness tastes better

“All grown produce in Ontario is picked at its peak ripeness, which delivers quality taste. That’s what makes us stand out from other freeze-dried products. Apples and pears are from our family farm.”

Sunrise Orchards and Produce

That’s the whole idea behind what we make. Here’s why it matters so much.

Some fruit stops ripening the moment it’s picked

Fruit falls into two groups.

Some fruit keeps ripening after picking. Peaches and pears soften and smell sweeter on the counter.

Other fruit doesn’t. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and cherries stop building sugar as soon as they leave the plant. They might soften or darken a little in the box, but they won’t get any sweeter.

Fruit that travels a long way to a grocery store is often picked early so it survives the trip. For berries and cherries, that early-picked flavour is the flavour you get.

Freeze-drying keeps exactly what you start with

Freeze-drying is honest. It removes the water and keeps nearly everything else: the colour, the shape and the flavour. It can’t add sweetness that wasn’t there.

A strawberry picked a week early tastes like a strawberry picked a week early, even after freeze-drying. A strawberry picked ripe tastes like summer. That’s why we wait.

Short seasons, small batches

In Northern Ontario the growing season is short and every crop has its moment. We follow the season through the year: rhubarb in June, strawberries and garlic scapes in July, peaches in August, peppers in September, and apples and pears in the fall.

When a crop is at its best, it goes onto our trays in small batches in our licensed kitchen. The fruit that doesn’t go into the freeze-dryer goes into the jam pot: strawberry, haskap, Saskatoon berry, and a dozen more.

From our farm

Our apples and pears grow on our own family farm in Smooth Rock Falls. We’ve been growing and supporting local farmers across Northern Ontario since 2003, and you’ll find us at markets across the region.

Look for the Our farm label in the shop, or read about the difference between freeze-dried and dehydrated fruit.