RICH in anti-oxidants, purple vegies are set to colour our supermarket shelves, ANDREW MOLE writes
Deep Purple.
Or Purple Haze. Even Purple Rain.
Of course, who could forget that Purple People Eater?
But purple potatoes? Come on.
And purple carrots? You have got to be kidding.
Let us suggest for the moment that the apricot, for example, was purple. Surely then, it would be a plum.
Gadzooks! What is going on here?
Let me explain in simple English. If you dig deeply enough, the orange carrot is, in fact, a fraud.
It really did begin life as purple. At worst, reddish. Or occasionally white (when it wasn't busy being a parsnip, I suppose).
Those Dutch, the world's lovers of all things orange, seized on a mutant version of the traditional purple (oh yes, andthe reddish too) around the 1600s and bred it up as a nationalist statement.
An emblem for the House of Orange and its struggle for freedom from those colonially-inclined Spanish.
So what, exactly, has this to do with the purple spud?
Well, nothing, and yet everything. Because the purple carrot, and spud, are back in business and coming to a supermarket shelf near you.
Soon. If not last week.
Coles has already started selling them in Tasmania and mainland talks are now underway. Trial marketing of the spuds has also started in Sydney.
If you think the purple carrot is one thing, try cutting into the purple spud and see what you get. Under the purple skin there is a halo of white and then the purple flesh.
Just consider the mashed spuds: a turgid purple brew, steaming at the bottom of the saucepan.
They can also be cut as chips, giving you a two-tone fry if you are lucky.
The scientist who helped fine-tune the finished product can explain why you should consider switching colours for the benefit of your wellbeing - and even longevity.
Dr Hazel MacTavish West said the spud is being marketed as the purple gem.
She said the correct varietal name is sapphire, but that did not seem to fit the colour.
"The purple flesh resembles an emerald shape, which is where the gem comes from, and don't worry about that mash, it makes a vibrant purple colour," she said.
"The key to these purple plants is they have five times the falcarinols as carrots or potatoes, and global research is well on its way to proving that puts them way out in front as anti-cancer agents.
"The colours are all natural, they have a slightly earthy flavour but otherwise there is nothing artificial here, the breeders have simply taken old varieties and developed them for the modern market."
Premium Fresh Tasmania marketing manager Cherie Holloway said the purple experience for the Forth-based business began with a juicing variety for the Japanese market.
That led to interest in a straight carrot for the domestic market and a series of trials before Deep Purple was selected last year for a planting which produced an initial 60 tonnes.
Cherie said Deep Purple's attraction was its consistent colour right through, as other varieties still have orange centres.
She said the purple carrot is destined to become a part of our daily food intake, because its health benefits "just can't be ignored".
"The secret is in the colour," she said. "It is caused by high levels of a compound known as anthocyanins.
"Anthocyanins are powerful active anti-oxidants which work to protect the body from damage caused by free radicals."
To get Deep Purple, PFT had to go right back to the original wild carrot, with its purple and red colours.
It is not genetically modified, and despite some urban myths does not have dye injected into it.
"If people can get their heads around the colour they will have access to a quality product," Cherie said.
"It may not be as sweet as the orange Tasmanian carrot, but it is still very carroty."
PFT knows all about carrots. With Tasmania's six-month season it produces 10 per cent of the national market as well as 11,000 tonnes of onions (also 10 per cent of the Australian industry).
The company's repertoire also includes swedes, turnips, broccoli and it is the biggest shallot producer in the southern hemisphere.
Later this year it is introducing the echalion - a cross between the onion and shallot and the initial 200-tonne harvest was snapped up by British buyers.
Right now the carrot is only available in Tasmania but negotiations are underway to bring it to the rest of the country.
At Daly Gourmet Potatoes, in Marion Bay, Susie and Gerard Daly are eyeing the gourmet restaurant trade with their purple gem potato.
With a small 30-40 tonne harvest this year, the Dalys will market the spuds themselves.
They admit they had to go way back into the agriculture archives to find the variety they wanted, but to date it has delivered everything they hoped for.
"We are after the gourmet restaurant market but this potato mashes well and is good for boiling and chips," Gerard said.
"We are not going to overgrow it at this stage. It has been released here in Tasmania and is also being marketed through Sydney."
"There is not a lot of taste difference to our traditional washed potatoes, which we supply to Coles and Woolies.
"The Purple Gem, which is grown under normal conditions, will be on sale commercially in a month and we think it will give us something really different in the market place."
Honey I know, I know, I know times are changing
It's time we all reach out for something new
That means you too
You say you want a leader
But you can't seem to make up your mind
I think you better close it
And let me guide you to the purple rain
(With thanks to Prince).
