Dad climbed into the passenger seat. The children were already settled in the back. We were off to the orchard to pick apples, bring them home, and make some much-loved applesauce and apple pie. Dad asks, “What kinds of apples do you plan on getting? Your mother always loved the Northern Spy. She said they made the best pies.”
Mom had passed away the previous winter and Dad was still adjusting to a life that no longer included his partner of 61 years. He kept busy with reading and visiting his family. He usually came to see us about once a month, staying for a few days or longer since it was a good six-hour drive or a two-hour flight from where he lived.
“You know, I just read a story about a young boy. He lived in the country, Wisconsin, I think. It’s named after a certain Wolf River where it grew. His mother sent him to the back orchard to pick an apple to make a pie. I was surprised. She only asked for one apple.”
As the story continued, the apple was described as a Wolf River apple, and one apple was large enough to fill one pie or more. They apparently have a saying along the Wolf River:One apple. One pie.神奇的!“我从没听说过狼河苹果,你听说过吗?””
“No, Dad,” I answered, pulling the car into the dirt-packed parking area of the orchard. “But we can ask. They have a lot of heritage apples here. Like Cox’s Pippin apples. Ever heard of them?” Dad shook his head. “Really tiny apples. Not much bigger than a crab apple. It’s an early apple. Very sweet. Firm. Almost like a Golden Delicious only much smaller.”
“I hadn’t realized there were so many types of apples. So many I’d never heard of before.”
The Enormous Wolf River Apple
We did ask about the Wolf River. The farmer beamed with pleasure when we asked. “Few people ask for Wolf River apples anymore,” he claimed. “They all want the better-known types like Macs (McIntosh) and Spartans and Empires.”
He pulled out a bushel of huge apples. “Wolf River.”
“We’ll take them.”
还有那些普通的苹果机、斯巴达、帝国,当然还有考克斯家的皮平斯,都塞满了车的后座。我不像我母亲那样喜欢“北方间谍”,所以当我得知他们还没有准备好采摘时,我也没有感到失望。我们对船身很满意,就回家去取我们的珍宝。
The Wolf River was an instant hit. Firm, chewy, sweet, and just a tad juicy, we were not surprised to discover that one apple did indeed fill one pie crust. Topped with maple sugar and cinnamon, the delectable aromas of the apple treat baking in the oven filled the house.
Dad was impressed with the Cox’s Pippin. We did some research and discovered that it was actually a British heritage apple, more specifically known as the Cox’s Orange Pippin, or more simply, Cox. It was first grown and cultivated at Colnbrook in Buckinghamshire by the retired brewer and horticulturist, Richard Cox.
Popular Apple Varieties
So what is the best apple? And how many varieties do you know? I’m willing to bet that everyone has heard of McIntosh, Spartan, Empire, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and Red Delicious. You will probably find all of these, and a few others, in the produce section of your local grocery store.
So, what apples are best? With 7,500 cultivars (varieties) to choose from, there’s quite a selection. But in reality, only about a hundred of these apples are commercially grown for the consumer market. The other apples are grown as pollinators for the popular varieties or to produce large quantities of cider and other apple-related items for the consumer market.
Well, I know what’s most popular in my own household. Chances are these are some of your favorites, too!
McIntosh
以联合帝国保皇派约翰·麦金托什的名字命名,他于1790年在加拿大安大略省登达斯县定居。麦金托什在清理土地时发现了这些小树。他培育了它们,并将这种美味、甜美多汁的水果命名为“麦金托什红”(McIntosh Red)。
最初的麦金托什苹果园仍然存在,但水果种植广泛,很受欢迎的酱汁,派,沙拉,只是吃新鲜的树上。苹果煮熟后会变得很软,但它能很好地保持它的甜味,有时还有浓郁的味道。
Empire
This apple has been described by some as a McIntosh-type apple. It’s somewhat firmer than the McIntosh, and it has a long shelf life, which is good for those of us, like myself, who like to buy apples in bulk to supply the family needs all winter.
The apple is sweet and juicy, much like the McIntosh, but much crisper. I use it in my sauces, pies, salads, either to compliment the McIntosh apples or on its own. The empire is also best eaten fresh off the tree. Crisp, sweet, and juicy.
Cortland
This is another apple that has been cross-pollinated with the McIntosh. It’s a large, flat apple, as opposed to the more round shape of the McIntosh.
With a dull, red skin, its flesh is soft and white. It doesn’t have that rich apple smell of the McIntosh, but it keeps well, and like the McIntosh, it’s very good in sauces, pies, salads, or just fresh off the tree. Soft and crunchy, sweet and juicy.
Spartan
The Spartan was the first new apple cultivar developed by Dr. R. C. Palmer and produced by a formal scientific breeding program. It was introduced in Summerland, British Columbia by the Federal Agriculture Research Station in 1936.
It’s another McIntosh-cross cultivar, a good, all-purpose apple, medium-sized and usually bright red with patches of greens and yellows. Not only does it keep well, but it’s crunchy, sweet and a little bit juicy, but not as much as the McIntosh. Good in sauces, pies, salads, or just fresh off the tree.
Braeburn
This is a very firm apple, much like the Red Delicious. Its skin is mostly red with slightly off-white flesh. Due to its sweet flavor, it’s typically not baked or cooked in apple dishes as it doesn’t soften much during the cooking process.
However, combined with some of the other baking apples, like the McIntosh, it does add a unique flavor and texture to the dish. Braeburn is best for eating on its own.
Wolf River
Heritage apple = a very large apple. Usually, only one apple is needed to fill one pie and its skin is pinkish red with white flesh. Not terribly juicy, but the Wolf River is usually sweet.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t keep too well but cooks up well in apple dishes, especially when combined with other apples like the McIntosh.
Golden Delicious
I usually call this my summer apple, as it replaces the other apples until they become available again in the late summer, early fall.
With yellow skin and a slightly yellowy-white flesh, Golden Delicious apples are firm, sweet, and best used in salads and blended with other apples in various baking dishes.
Snow
Another heritage apple. Known as Snow or Fameuse, this apple is really sweet, juicy, and delicious. It’s possible that it gets its name from the color of its flesh, since it’s really, really white.
这是一种耐寒的北方苹果,是18世纪早期起源于加拿大魁北克的最古老的苹果之一。“雪苹果”可能是深受喜爱的“麦金托什”的父母,它有着深红色的皮、白色的果肉和甜美多汁的味道。The Snow apple is good to eat, good to cook, and good for just about anything.
Cox’s Orange Pippin
在英国很受欢迎的一种苹果,考克斯橙皮聘是另一种传统苹果。这种苹果通常个头很小,但果皮略带金黄色,略带褐色。
Texture and taste wise, the Cox’s Orange Pippin is tender, crisp, slightly sweet, and slightly tart. It doesn’t keep well, but blends well with other apples in various apples dishes and sauces. It’s best eaten fresh off the tree.
有许多其他品种可供选择。你的最爱可能和我的大不相同,这没关系!杂货店里有很多选择,但可能没有那么多选择。
I challenge you to explore the local orchards in your area and see what different apples they grow. With all the cultivars being grown, you could probably eat a different variety of apple every day for the rest of your life.
All About Heritage Apples
These are the apples that grew in our grandparents’ and great grandparents’ yards and orchard. The apple trees were prolific in their crops, and the fruits were sweet, crisp, and tasty when eaten right off the tree. Most of these apples, however, were small or oddly-shaped or motley-skinned.
In other words, heritage apples didn’t look pretty. They didn’t keep well once picked. And consequently, they wouldn’t sell well in the stores. Sadly, as a result, many of these heritage apples are disappearing as the trees are cut down and not replaced.
我们刚搬到乡下时,后院有两棵巨大的苹果树。这些苹果树和我们的枫树一样高,都没有修剪过,也没有精心照料过。它们仍然结出了果实,但在一棵因年龄和过度生长而半腐烂的树上,果实很小(比考克斯家的皮平家还小),而且很苦。
不过,加苹果酱的味道很不错,野生动物当然也很喜欢。经过了一个非常潮湿的春夏季节,浸透了水的腐烂树干无法承受上部树枝的重量。去年8月,又下了一场大雨,我惊恐地看着一棵老苹果树和另一棵倒在了地上,差点砸到房子,却把篱笆给砸倒了。这是一个可怕的景象,因为这一切都发生在慢镜头。
However, my attempt at preserving heritage apples is not done yet. I have two Wolf River apple trees growing steadily. Hopefully, in a few years, I’ll be enjoying the fruits from these trees.
Started from the seeds of the last Wolf River apples I purchased at a local heritage apple orchard, an orchard that had been in the same family for over a hundred years. It was mowed down, literally, to make room for another unnecessary subdivision.
唯一能提醒人们这里曾经是苹果园的是其中一条街道的名字——“果园景观”。就连沿街种的树也不是苹果树。有人会认为,更合适的致敬方式是种植一些传统苹果树!
我并不是唯一一个想要保留一点苹果传统的人。在苹果种植的世界各地,苹果传统团体如雨后春笋般涌现。人们开始注意到这些不寻常、不好看但非常美味的老苹果。
Growing An Orchard From Scratch
Can you grow your own apple trees from seed? Why not? That’s how the orchards were started in previous centuries. I’ve successfully grown two Wolf River apple trees from seed. Not much, but it’s a start.
将坚硬的棕色种子从果核中取出,浸泡一夜。把它们放在一个小盆里,里面有肥沃的土壤,定期浇水,耐心等待。如果成功了,你应该在几周内看到豆芽。等到这些树至少长到一英尺高时再把它们移植到室外。
让他们支持,让增长保持合理的直线。每年秋天,我都会用覆盖物覆盖我的树,在早春的时候修剪枯枝。我还在等待,但它们还在生长,所以我没有放弃。
And yes, you can grow really big apples, bigger than the Wolf River. According to the Guiness Book of Records, the largest apple weighed in at 4 pounds, 1 ounce in Hirosaki City, Japan in 2005. Now there’s a record to beat. Must have been the size of a small pumpkin. Amazing!
Nutritional Benefits Of Apples
This nutritious fruit has been around for some time. It was, after all, the apple tree in the Garden of Eden that lured Eve to take that first juicy bite. But apples aren’t evil. In fact, with at least 7,500 varieties of apples grown worldwide, there is good reason to believe the age-old saying, “Ate an apfel avore gwain to bed, makes the doctor beg for his bread.”
Well, actually, most of us know this old English saying as, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
Is it true? Are apples really that good for you? Considering the fact that apples containlots of nutrients, it is reasonable to say that there is some truth in this statement. Other than containing lots of Vitamins C and K, apples are full ofstrong antioxidants, some of whichprotect against diseaseslike breast and colon cancers, inflammations, and even kidney stones.
Apples are also beneficial in thefight against high cholesterol, high blood sugar levels, as well maintaining a healthy digestive tract. And at 80 calories per medium-sized apple, what’s there not to enjoy?
Best Applesauce Ever
使用尽可能多的不同品种,你有你的处置!
Peel, core, and chop as many apples as you’d like – there isn’t an exact with this. Add the apples to the pot with a little water to prevent burning at the bottom. Sprinkle with maple sugar (optional) and cook to desired tenderness.
My favorite finished product is partly mashed with some firmer chunks not thoroughly cooked (adds a bit of crunch). You can leave the skin on for the cooking process, which I sometimes do. This adds more nutrients to the finished sauce.
下面的每一个食谱都适合任何品种的苹果。每个品种都会改变成品的味道和质地,但仍然很美味。
Maple Dutch Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 1½ cups extra light olive oil
- 1¼ cups finely ground maple sugar (use brown sugar if maple sugar unavailable)
- 3 eggs
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 4-5 medium apples; peeled, cored and sliced
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
- Blend together extra light olive oil, 1 cup of the maple sugar, and eggs.
- Add flour, baking powder, and sea salt and mix well.
- In a 9-inch square baking pan, lightly greased with extra light olive oil, pour in half of the batter.
- Spread sliced apples evenly over top.
- Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup maple sugar and cinnamon.
- Top with remaining batter.
- 放入预热350华氏度的烤箱中烘焙50-60分钟,或者直到牙签插在中间,拔出时干净。
- Cut and serve hot or cold. Serves 8-10
Basil Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup cheddar, grated
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh basil (or crumbled dried basil)
- 1 cup apple, chopped and cored (peeled if desired)
- ¼ cup extra light olive oil
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 egg
Directions
- Lightly toss the first seven ingredients by hand in a medium-sized bowl. Make a well in the center.
- In a separate bowl blend the remaining ingredients.
- 倒入面粉混合物中心的孔中,搅拌均匀。
- Line muffin pans with muffin liners. Fill ¾ full.
- Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Serve warm. Makes 6 large muffins.
Apple Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless, uncooked chicken breasts
- ½ c. apple cider or apple juice
- 1½ tsp. cider vinegar
- ½tsp。sea salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- ½tsp。garlic powder
- ½tsp。fresh basil, stems removed and leaves chopped fine
- ½tsp。fresh parsley, chopped fine
- ½tsp。fresh green oregano, stems removed and leaves chopped fine
- 两个苹果,去皮去核,切成四等份
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
Directions
- Lay chicken breasts side by side in a large, flat glass casserole dish.
- 将苹果酒和苹果醋均匀地倒在所有鸡胸肉上。
- 撒上海盐、黑胡椒、蒜粉、罗勒、欧芹和牛至。
- 铺上苹果和洋葱碎。
- Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake in a preheated 375°F- oven for 50-60 minutes or until chicken is cooked and tender.
- Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.
Russell Clubinesays
Empire? Braeburn? Unimpressive varieties created for commercial growers. Better commercial varieties are Crimson Topaz and Crimson Crisp. McIntosh, imo, is a mealy, disappointing apple. So many better apples available. How about Tollman Sweet?