Sanhedrin Nursery – Garden Blog

Apples. Red, round, crisp and cool. The list of adjectives doesn’t have to stop there. An apple can be much more flavorful than the few you’ve tasted from the market.

The orchards of North America have produced well over a thousand named apple varieties, each one with its characteristic color, aura and flavor. These antique apples are worth exploring to rediscover the remarkable variety of flavors hidden inside the modest apple.

Ashmead’s Kernel is an apple that has been around for over 200 years since its discovery in England. This is widely regarded as one of the all-time best-flavored apples. It is one of the best cider apples and a good one to store for winter eating since it becomes sweet, juicy and aromatic as it ripens a few weeks after harvest.

Calville Blanc has a name that sounds like wine, and indeed it is the best known dessert apple in France. It has a lively flavor, smells like banana, and is good for pies, sauce, cider and cider vinegar. This is one of the most sought after antique apples.

Of all the old-time sweet apples for cider, Golden Russet was the favorite. It is an early American apple with yellow flesh with a bright and sweet flavor. The apples can also be used for cooking and drying. The russeted skin gives an odd look, but the flavor is sure to please.

Another russeted apple is Hudson’s Golden Gem. Though it doesn’t win any beauty contests, the sweet, juicy flavor can be compared to a pear. It is one of the largest and best-flavored russet apples. The fruit keeps well and can even be left on the tree into winter.

Thompkins King is a beautiful red apple with classic apple flavor. The yellow flesh is rich-tasting with a sweet-tart flavor. It is an excellent cooking variety and will be enjoyed fresh by those who like a strong flavored apple.

The dark, waxy skin of Arkansas Black encloses a golden flesh that is juicy, and crisp with a nice aroma. It is a late apple that keeps for many months, and is excellent for cooking and making desserts.

The Snow apple is named for its pure white flesh. It comes from France where it is prized for its spicy, tart flavor. A good dessert apple, it is also used for cooking and cider.

Tantalize your taste buds with one of these old-time favorites.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 at 2:33 pm and is filed under Garden Article. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.