Cameo®
Available as:
Stemilt & Artisan Organics
Facts of Interest: The Cameo® is a chance seedling discovered by grower Darrell Caudle in his Dryden, Washington orchard in the early 1980s. Although its parentage is unclear, the Cameo is believed to be a cross between Red Delicious and Golden Delicious, because the tree bearing the original apples grew near orchards filled with Red and Golden Delicious trees. Cameo also bears a striking resemblance to the standard Delicious, a parent of the Red.
The Cameo was originally named Carousel due to its orange and red coloring reminiscent of the colors found on merry-go-rounds common at carnivals and fairs. However, in the late 1980s, the apple's owners changed the name, drawing on the imagery of elegant cameo jewelry to portray the apple. The owners trademarked the name, patented the variety, and helped create a marketing organization to promote Cameo.
In recent years, American consumers have embraced the Cameo, and Washington apple growers are planting more of the variety. Stemilt Growers is the world's largest Cameo shipper.
Apples
Characteristics
Appearance:
Bright-red stripe over a cream-colored background; Attractive bi-colored apple
Texture & Firmness:
Firm, fine texture; Great shelf life
Internal Character:
Creamy white
Flavor:
Zingy-sweet & crunchy
Shape:
Round, slightly elongated & tapered
Size:
Medium to large with good uniformity
Uses:
Excellent for fresh eating, salads, pies, & baking; Good for freezing
Artisan Organics is Stemilt Growers’ banner for organic tree fruits. This label adorns all packaging and price look-up stickers on Stemilt’s organic apples, pears, cherries, and stone fruits.
We began major investments in organic tree fruit production back in 1989. That’s when Stemilt founder Tom Mathison launched his Responsible Choice program, urging growers and company managers to look for ways to conserve natural resources and reduce synthetic materials in all our growing and packing operations.
Since that year, Stemilt has become a national leader in organic tree fruit production and packing:
• Artisan Organics are grown with tree and soil balance in mind.
• Natural tree and soil balance encourages the orchards’ innate defenses, creating tastier fruit that needs no synthetic fertilizers.
• Artisan Organics are farmed 100% organically so there is no residue on the fruit.
• Artisan Organics come from modern orchards that use the latest growing and harvesting techniques.
Stemilt’s Artisan Organics are grown with extreme care. See and taste the difference that our natural farming methods produce.
Check out our Organic Leader page to learn how we grow and pack organic fruit and what makes Stemilt a standout in the organic field!
Stemilt’s World Famous apples are terrific for many reasons. The first is the area’s perfect conditions for producing apples. Central Washington has the sunny days, cool nights, plentiful water, and nutrient-rich soils that apples need to be super-flavorful. But that’s not the only reason Stemilt’s apples are great.
Generations of apple-growing expertise and endless quality checks have produced only the best fruit. Tom Mathison, Stemilt’s founder, has made sure that flavor comes first when it comes to Stemilt apples. Today, Stemilt’s field advisors also work hand-in-hand with growers so every apple meets Tom’s strict flavor expectations. Look for Stemilt’s Artisan Organics apples too. They’re naturally-farmed to perfection!