Behind the French Menu: Maria and Thomas Smith

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

Pommes Granny Smith

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pierre_tourigny/129235076/

Pommes Granny Smith are much appreciated in France, and in season these apples will be the apples of choice for a genuine Tart -Tatin. When the Granny Smith apple is not available the French Reinette apple will be used instead.

Strawberry, Granny Smith Apples, and Kiwi Fruit Pie

Photograph courtesy of liz west

https://www.flickr.com/photos/calliope/98277344/

The history of the Granny Smith Apple.

Granny Smith apples are probably the most well-known of all cooking apples. However, it is neither a British, French, European or even an American apple. Neither was this apple brought from the New World by the Conquistadores and not even the Romans, the Greeks, the Phoenicians or Egyptians knew about Granny Smith Apples. Neither did Granny Smith apples come from China. This unique apple was developed from a seedling discovered on her farm by a British immigrant to Australia; Maria Anne Smith (1799- 1870). Mrs. Smith, later in life would become the Granny behind the apples.

Granny Smith Apples on French menus:

Tartare de Crevette au Saumon Fumé et Pomme Granny-Smith – A tartar of shrimps and smoked salmon with Granny Smith apples.

Filet de Bar Marinade au Citron Caviar, Julienne de Légumes et Pomme Granny Smith. – A filet of European Sea Bass marinated with the Australian Finger Lime (lemon- caviar) fruit accompanied by a Julienne of vegetables, (a Julienne is vegetables cut into 2mm by 5mm long thin strands), and served with Granny Smith Apples. The name lemon-caviar given to the Australian Finger Lime fruit relates to its small globules of lemon-lime tasting juice that will burst on your tongue in a similar manner to a good caviar. Despite that name, the fruit is not related to the citrus family.

Cucumbers Julienne

Photograph courtesy of Stacy

https://www.flickr.com/photos/notahipster/4670390442/

Jambon de Sanglier d'Alsace Salade de Mâche aux Pommes Granny Smith Noix et Raisins – Ham from a farm raised Alsatian wild boar served with mache, field lettuce, Granny Smith Apples, walnuts, and grapes. France farms wild boar and many other animals that elsewhere may be considered wild game. If the wild boar on this menus listing had been truly wild, the listing would have read Sanglier Sauvage.

Single serving Granny Smith Tarte-Tatin

Photograph courtesy of ayustety

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ayustety/337343867/

Hareng Fumé, sur une Émulsion de Pommes de Terre à l’Huile d’Olive Pomme Granny Smith – Smoked herring served on a thick potato moose flavored with olive oil and Granny Smith Apples.

Salade de Viande Séchée de Cerf aux Pommes Granny Smith Huile de Noix et Copeaux de Rebibes - A salad of air-dried deer meat served with Granny Smith apples, walnut oil, and shavings from a hard cheese.

Just picked Granny Smith Apples

at Plunkett Orchards, Australia.

Photograph courtesy of Apple and Pear Australia Ltd

https://www.flickr.com/photos/applesnpearsau/25522579543/

Carpaccio de Saint-Jacques des Côtes Bretonne, Betteraves, Cumbawa, Pommes Granny Smith – Carpaccio of King Scallops from the coast of Brittany served with beetroots, kafir lime, and Granny Smith apples.

Granny Smith apple crumble.

Photograph courtesy of David van der Mark

https://www.flickr.com/photos/d_vdm/22010727401/

The Smiths

Mrs. Smith and her husband Thomas were farmers and not ex-convicts, and they worked an orchard they bought and developed in Ryde, New South Wales, Australia. Maria, the future Granny Smith, found the original seedling, growing on their farm. It was Maria that nurtured these seedlings that would create the huge Granny Smith Apple industry.

Granny Smith Apples, the most popular apples in the world.

The worldwide popularity came about too late for Granny Smith to benefit, but, by the early twentieth century, Granny Smith apples had become the premier cooking apple in the British Empire. Today, close to two hundred years after their discovery virtually every country in the world grows Granny Smith apples. Australians, with a degree of reason, grumble, that the world does not recognize their country’s contribution to the apple pie or apple crumble industry.

Paying homage to Mrs Smith and the Granny Smith Apple/

Now you may love France and French food, and that may be expected if you are reading this book or one of the posts from the blog by the same name. If, in addition, if you also are a world traveler and a Granny Smith apple aficionado then you have a secondary duty. A real lover of Granny Smith cooking apples must visit New South Wales, Australia, with a side trip to Ryde, now a suburb of the City of Sydney. There in the churchyard of St Anne’s you may visit and, in season, place Granny Smith apple blossoms on Maria and Thomas Smith’s graves.