7 Heirloom Apple Varieties to Try this Apple Season
Be still, my autumn-loving heart. It’s September! In my small, fall-inspired world that means it’s apple season. During apple season, I happily crisp, tart and slice through myriad heirloom apples.
If you share my seasonal, antique apple love, here are a handful of heirloom apples you can keep your eyes peeled for when stocking up to create festive apple treats.
Arkansas Black
Image: SanFranAnnie
Quick profile: The Arkansas Black turns — surprise — black when fully mature. The late-ripening apple is small in size. The Black’s flesh is crisp and tart in flavor, making it great for eating fresh, cooking, baking, and cider concocting.
Want to grow your own?: The fruit tolerates low desert heat. Grow in USDA zones 5-10.
Roxbury Russet
Image: Ed Yourdon
Quick profile: The Roxbury is large. It has green, bronze-tinged skin with yellow-brown russeting. The fruit’s flesh is firm, tender and a yellowish-white color. Eat fresh, use in deserts, cider, or when cooking.
Want to grow your own?: The Roxbury does best in rich soil. Grow in zones 5-9.
Winesap
Image: deapeajay
Quick profile: The Winesap’s flavor lives up to its name: it has a wine-like flavor that’s spicy! It’s crisp and has yellow flesh. The medium-sized fruit is red.
Want to grow your own?: Grow in zones 5-9.
Ashmead’s Kernel
Image: orchardgalore
Quick profile: This rough-skinned, medium-sized, golden-brown fruit has dense flesh. Its taste?: the “fruit explodes with champagne-sherbet juice infused with a lingering scent of orange blossom.” Sounds tart-y! The Kernel is great for cider, baking and fresh eating.
Want to grow your own?: Grow in zones 5-9.
Cortland
Image: kevin bedell
Quick profile: The Cortland is tart and tangy and has crisp, white flesh. The fruit is medium-sized, and is great for fresh eating, cooking, baking, and cider.
Want to grow your own?: Grown in zones 3-9.
Pitmaston Pineapple
Image: janetmck
Quick profile: This leathery, golden-yellow apple is shaped somewhat similar to a cone. The small (but tall) fruit has firm flesh, and tastes similar to a pineapple and is sweet and juicy. This apple is great in desserts.
Want to grow your own?: Grown in zones 6-9.
Cox’s Orange Pippin
Image: ndrwfgg
Quick profile: The medium-sized apple has yellow flesh that’s crisp and juicy. It’s red and yellow in color and often striped. The Orange Pippin is perfect for fresh consumption, cider, baking, and cooking.
Want to grow your own?: perfect for cooler summer climates. Grown is zones 4-10.
Now, use those fabulous apples to make some sweet and spicy apple cider!
Resources:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/heirloom-apples-zm0z10zalt.aspx?page=2
http://www.treesofantiquity.com
