Mouneyrac Frères

Who's behind it

Mouneyrac Frères has been growing fruit since 1928. A French family business that grows apples and pears and sells the harvest through the Marché de Rungis, the big produce market south of Paris where buyers keep moving through all night. The fruit is still picked for flavor. Alongside the classic Granny Smith, they grow rarer varieties like the Patte de Loup and an organic line. The orchards are managed ecoresponsibly, with fewer inputs and more attention to soil and tree.

Why this apple

The Granny Smith is bright green and hard, with high acidity. In the pan and next to acid it keeps its bite and its sharp, fresh flavor. Mouneyrac picks at ripeness and sorts by size, and the acidity stays the same from box to box. The apple stays firm in the pan and keeps its color on the plate. The Patte de Loup is an old variety with a rough gray skin, smaller and nuttier than the Granny. Use the Granny for acidity and structure, the Patte de Loup for aroma.

In your kitchen

Use the acidity: grated raw over fatty fish, as a granité with foie gras, or as a remoulade next to a rich dish. Because the acidity is consistent, your recipe tastes the same every time. Name the origin on the menu, for example "French Granny Smith from grower Mouneyrac, since 1928". The Patte de Loup works as a seasonal addition.