New England may be most known for maple syrup, but apples thrive here and are available in abundant varieties in baskets shown above. Because many varieties of apples are not ideal for either transport or storage, we can sample older kinds not commercially viable. We can try different kinds and decide what kind of apple we prefer.
Yesterday I bought a couple of a variety new to me called Smitten. After getting home, I saw it had a sticker Smitten.com on it, so I knew something was up. This was clearly not an old variety. I cut it up and ate it deciding I liked it crisp texture but that it was too sweet for me. I then went to Smitten.com and discovered it was a new variety, developed in New Zealand and now being grown in the United States. It is very popular, apparently, along with the Honey Crisp. Both are too sweet for me: I prefer the sharp tang of older varieties. But many Americans have a craving for sweet and apparently apples are being developed to satisfy the desire.
Until recently fresh apples were really only tasty in the fall. But apple tree are prolific bearers and my forebears were faced with what to do with the bounty. So we made apple cider, hard cider, apple cider vinegar, apple butter, apple pie, and applesauce. The peels were used to make the pectin that thickens jelly. Studying the early 1800’s ledger of a store I found that one of my ancestors traded apples for goods. Unfortunately, he traded for rum. Apparently hard cider wasn’t enough!
Of course I spent the afternoon making an apple pie. Simple recipe really: 2 and 1/2 pounds of apples(I mixed three varieties), 1/2 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, freshly grated nutmeg, a little cinnamon, a dash of lemon juice and two teaspoons of cornstarch. Pie crust for top and bottom. Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees then 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Enjoy!
Saved By Words 
Ah. … I love varieties of apples. Will keep an eye on this when I go to the farmers market.
LikeLike
Eastern Washington and B.C. interior have great apples, don’t they?
LikeLike
Yes abd Yes. Apple festival coming soon.
LikeLike
I also love apples, Elizabeth, but I also prefer the less sweet varieties. I also don’t really trust genetically engineered produce.
LikeLike
I think these were just grafted in the old fashioned way. People have been tinkering with apples forever, probably because it is so easy to graft one onto another.
LikeLike
Sounds delicious Elizabeth! I like Pink Lady apples for eating & the old Granny Smith’s for cooking, 😀 especially German Apple Cake or Apple Strudel.
Jennifer
LikeLike
I forgot about strudel. Haven’t tried Pink Lady. I will see if we have it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love apple pies. I use Granny Smith to bake some.
LikeLike
Yes they are more to my liking.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I actually didn’t know New England was known for maple syrup. I thought that was for the Canadians. 😂
LikeLike
You are right that the Canadians mass produce it. Here there are a number of smaller scale sugar shacks which boil down the sap and sell it.
LikeLike
Really! I don’t remember seeing any while I was there. Is it only a seasonal thing?
LikeLike
Yes. Definitely seasonal. Late March.
LikeLike
Is New England beautiful in the spring time?
LikeLike
Very beautiful but unpredictably hit with blizzards even into April.
LikeLike
Doesn’t that ruin the beauty? I imagine that takes all the spring blossoms off the trees. That’s what I look forward to in Atlanta.
LikeLike
It sometimes does indeed.
LikeLike