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In old photos, a near-stump of a tree standing in the Casa de Fruta parking lot, gnarled with age and heavily pruned, can be identified by the thick band of white paint that still surrounds the lower part of the trunk. The tree stood next to the 1940s cherry shack, the first incarnation of the world-famous fruit stand that now welcomes 2 million visitors annually.
The white paint on the tree, which served as a landmark to travelers on Pacheco Pass, is still regularly given a fresh coat. Though George, Joseph, and Eugene Zanger, the brothers who built the stand, are long gone, their descendants are still running the business four generations later.
“That old tree is the genesis of all of this,” said Gene Zanger. “It is part of the family heritage. We are very proud of the fact that they came here and could make their way. And what we are doing now is just the latest incarnation of it.”
Zanger remembers playing out in the fields as the complex was slowly built up and recalls when at 5 years old, he helped lay some of the bricks for the restaurant that opened in 1967.
“Even then, it felt like a growth industry,” he said. “There was a lot of activity, the guests were very complimentary, and there was always something new. It was just fun.”
Zanger said much of Casa de Fruta’s success comes from its location in Santa Clara County on well-traveled tourist routes.
“Day in, day out, every season, it’s the guest who’s coming from the Fresno area to go to Monterey,” he said. “Or guests who are going between Northern and Southern California and Disneyland. Or guests who are on their way to Yosemite.”
Of course, Casa de Fruta’s main draw is not the candy and ice cream store, the gift shop with wine tasting, the RV park, or even the carousel and train. It is the wide array of fresh fruit displayed throughout the expanded fruit stand year-round.
“When I was growing up, we only got fruit in season,” Zanger said. “When cherries came, you better go get cherries. And when the peaches came, you started making peach pie. This generation doesn’t really appreciate that you can get fresh fruit anytime.”
Zanger said dried fruit is a throwback to the days when fruit was set aside after harvest so it could be enjoyed in the winter months when the trees were bare.
“That’s why our dried fruit gift packs are very traditional,” he said. “Each culture has some fruit that people grew up with that they would have as a treat during the holidays. And you’ll get folks that are coming from all over the world, they will see the dried fruit, and it will be just like home to them.”
Another worldwide favorite is the pistachio, which Casa de Fruta carries in a variety of flavors. Zanger said California pistachios, which grow throughout the county, are a fairly recent phenomenon. They only gained ground when pistachios from Iran were embargoed in the 1980s, resulting in U.S. farmers ramping up production.
“But it took a little while for people to accept them because they had white shells,” he said, “Customers were used to seeing red and green pistachios because the farmers would dye them to hide sunburn or blemishes. We had signs up explaining that they really were supposed to be white.”
Casa de Fruta has red-shelled pistachios, but these derive their color from their chili lemon, habanero and Sriracha flavors. They also come in tequila, chipotle, garlic, guacamole and jalapeno seasonings.
After all these years, Zanger still takes great pride in his family’s business and in the response he gets from customers all around the world.
“I love seeing people from out of the area suddenly getting this vision of how bountiful California is,” he said. “Whether it’s fruit, whether it’s vegetables, whether it’s nuts, they come alive when they see all the abundance that we here take for granted.”
Dried fruits and a new wine of Casa de Fruta
Medjool Dates – Native to Morocco, Medjool dates considered the king of dates, now grow all over California. The meat of date has a thick, almost caramel texture and taste. No sugar is added in processing, but they are as sweet as candy and, remarkably, carry a low glycemic index. Casa de Fruta also sells walnut-stuffed dates, which Zanger recommends baking after stuffing them with cream cheese and wrapping them with bacon. “Now you have both the creamy texture of the date and then the crunch of the walnut,” he said. It’s just really good!”
Slab Blenheim Apricots – It is hard to imagine someone in San Benito County not knowing the Blenheim—to my mind, they are the perfect fruit. And, according to Zanger, the slab apricots are the best. “You’ve got all kinds of apricots,” he said, “The slabs are the soft ones that got a bit overripe, but that means all the sugars are there.” Too soft to sell whole in a market, they lose their shape when sliced and dried. Blenheim trees are temperamental, and the fruit is hard to grow. Casa de Fruta also sells the Turkish apricots that are slowly pushing the Blenheims out of the market. Still, the pale yellow imports look and taste like rubber erasers compared to the brilliantly orange locally-grown product.
Manila Mango – This species from the Philippines is known for its particular sweetness and an even, fiberless texture. Though dried, it still remains moist, not leathery, and the flavor comes through in every bite. Lightly sugared, these are perfect for snacking. I like them diced and added to oatmeal and yogurt or macerated and used to top grilled chicken. Casa de Fruta sells several variations of dried mango, including jalapeño, chili pepper, tamarindo, pineapple, chamoy and chili lemon. I tried the Chocolate-Dipped Manila Mango, thickly coated with smooth dark chocolate, which goes delightfully well with the dried fruit. It makes for almost compulsive nibbling.
Milk Chocolate-Coated Strawberries – Newly added to the choices at Casa de Fruta, Zanger first encountered this dessert at Turnips, a fruit stall in London’s famed Borough Market. “I tried them and thought, ‘Oh my gosh, we have to do this,’” he said. “We ordered a chocolate fountain specially made in Italy and used chocolate blended specifically for the berries.” The idea is simplicity itself: a cup of fresh strawberries covered in a stream of melted milk chocolate dispensed from a fountain. You know what this will taste like without even thinking—the smooth, warm chocolate enrobes the cold, fresh strawberries and very few flavors marry as well as those two. I can see why Turnips often has block-long lines waiting for their order and why there was a near riot when it became unavailable.
2019 Pacheco Pass Fruit Stand Red – While Casa de Fruta’s fruit wines, particularly the pomegranate and apricot, are tourist favorites, their other wines deserve attention, too. This recent release is a smooth and full-bodied blend of 70% Malbec, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc. With an aroma of blackberries and plums, high acidity and light tannins, this is a solid take on a red table wine with a Burgundian flare. Produced by a venerable (though unnamed) winemaker, this red can stand beside some of San Benito’s best.
Casa de Fruta is located at 10021 Pacheco Pass Highway, Hollister, CA 95023. Its hours are from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m daily and can be contacted at 408-842-7282, info@casadefruta.com
Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.
BenitoLink thanks our underwriters, Hollister Super and Windmill Market, for helping to expand the Eat, Drink, Savor series and give our readers the stories that interest them. Hollister Super (two stores in Hollister) and Windmill Market (in San Juan Bautista) support reporting on the inspired and creative people behind the many delicious food and drink products made in San Benito County. BenitoLink makes all editorial decisions.
