Heirloom Apples Return for Good Eating

By Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, The Veggie Queen™ http://www.theveggiequeen.com

From August on, you can find Jill eating a variety of heirloom apples from Gravensteins to pink pearl and many others, too.

If you only eat apples from the supermarket, then you are missing out on a world of color, flavor and texture that only apples can provide in the fruit world. The most commonly eaten apples are called Delicious but there’s not much delicious about them these days unless you grow your own or buy from a local farmer. That’s why it’s a good idea to frequent farm stands, farms or your local farmer’s market to see what kind of old time goodness will appear.

Local apples are available fresh from August through November. After that, you can get local apples but they’ve been in storage. Many of them last throughout the winter for our eating pleasure. Many supermarket apples come from Washington State, and most apple products such as juice and commercial applesauce are made with Chinese apples. To keep local apple growers financially stable, buy local.

As usual, I suggest purchasing organic apples. Some of you may remember the Environmental Working Group report on apples and alar many years ago. Apples are still on the Dirty Dozen list and are often treated with up to 47 different pesticides.

The first apples to appear in the Bay Area are the Gravensteins most of which are grown in Sebastopol. They are the sweetheart of the Slow Food movement as they are trying to save this heirloom apple from extinction. In recent years in Sonoma County, many apple orchards have been ripped out and been replaced by grapes. However, some have seen that the Gravenstein, which doesn’t travel well but has incredible flavor for sauce, juice and fresh eating, should be grown. This apple may travel as far as San Francisco but you won’t likely find it anywhere else. Enjoy it while you can as it usually only lasts from early August to September.

Don’t worry, though, as many other apple varieties abound. My favorite apple for both taste and appearance is the Pink Pearl. They are a beautiful bright pink inside and they are another apple with a tart side. I prefer apples with a bit of acidity and tartness. These apples make a bold statement in recipes where there color surprises most everyone. To get the freshest ones, feel the skin to be sure that it’s smooth and not sticky. Stickiness indicates an older apple that might be mealy. I like firm, crisp apples.

Others that you might consider trying include Empire, Honey Crisp, Jonathan, Jonagold, Newtown’s Pippin, Northern Spy, and the ever popular Fuji and Gala. Don’t be put off by the looks of some apples that naturally are russetted (which looks like brown netting or spots). Perfect looking apples don’t always have perfect taste.

Many local farmers will let you taste apples before you buy, especially if you are considering purchasing some of the more unusual apples that you’ve never tried.

Apples are incredibly versatile and unlike summer stone fruit, they have a long shelf life and they’re around for a long time. Don’t think of an apple as just “an apple” when there are so many wonderful varieties from which to choose.

If you really like apples and want to attend a special event, Slow Food will be doing an apple, pear and cheese tasting in Healdsburg on October 3^rd. Click here for more information.

I developed the following recipe for the Gravenstein Apple Fair which is held the 2^nd weekend in August in Sebastopol. Mark your calendar for next year and in the meantime enjoy the fruits of my labor. Use your favorite apple of choice for this.

Curried Quinoa Gravenstein Apple Salad
Jill Nussinow, The Veggie Queen
Serves 4

Quinoa is a much better choice than rice and here it’s paired with in-season apples and sweet and pungent spices.

1       cup diced onion
1       cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1-2    teaspoons curry powder
½      teaspoon ground cumin
¼      teaspoon ground cardamom
1       cup broth or water
2       apples, chopped and divided (reserve chopped apples away from air)
3       tablespoons dried tart cherries
¾      cups apple juice
3       tablespoons toasted slivered almonds
         salt and pepper to taste

Add the onion to a saucepan and sauté for a minute. Add the quinoa and cook until toasty. Add the curry powder, cumin and cardamom and toast for 30 seconds. Add the broth, 1 chopped apple, cherries and apple juice. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes on the heat. Remove from heat, and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff, adding remaining apple and almonds. Taste and add salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro, if desired. Serve hot, warm, room temperature or chilled.

Comments

[Anas Mughal]

Agree with Jill. Supermarket food is not for us.

We love farmers markets in southern California!!!