Heirloom Apples
Jean B.
apples at Donelan's in Littleton. There were also some at
Donelan's in Acton, although I think there may have been fewer
varieties. I was wondering where else heirloom apples have been
spotted in the Boston area.
I don't suppose any of the Massachusetts (or Southern NH) apple
orchards have pick-your own heirloom apples....
Thanks,
--
Jean B.
Morris Keesan
> Yesterday I was most pleased to find nine varieties of heirloom apples
> at Donelan's in Littleton. There were also some at Donelan's in Acton,
> although I think there may have been fewer varieties. I was wondering
> where else heirloom apples have been spotted in the Boston area.
We saw several yesterday at Wilson Farms, in Lexington. I didn't count,
and don't remember what any of the varieties were.
--
Morris Keesan -- mke...@post.harvard.edu
Jean B.
Aha! Thank you! I normally don't go there but will have to check
those out! I'd like to sample as many varieties as possible.
--
Jean B.
Paul Kinnucan
Volante Farms in Needham typically has around 20 heirloom varietes from Sterling Orchards.
Paul
"Jean B." <jb...@rcn.com> writes:
> Path: news.mathworks.com!newsfeed-00.mathworks.com!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!individual.net!not-for-mail
> Newsgroups: ne.food
> Subject: Re: Heirloom Apples
> Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:47:04 -0400
> Organization: not very! <g>
Jean B.
> ----------------------------------------
> Volante Farms in Needham typically has around 20 heirloom varietes from Sterling Orchards.
>
> Paul
Thanks, Paul. I will check out Sterling Orchards too, since I may
be exploring out in that direction!
--
Jean B.
Rob Gross
It was asked:
> Yesterday I was most pleased to find nine varieties of heirloom
> apples at Donelan's in Littleton.
Keown Orchards, which shows up at the Government Center Farmers'
Markets on MW and Copley on TF, has had over twenty varieties of
apples for sale the last few weeks, including Golden Russets and a few
other very old types. Kimball Farms, which makes it to the Brookline
market on Thursdays and Cambridgeport on Saturdays (and others which I
am not sure about) has not quite as many varieties, but did have a
good assortment of the older ones as well.--Rob
--
Rob Gross (617) 552-3758
Department of Mathematics http://fmwww.bc.edu/gross/
Boston College gr...@bc.edu
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467-3806
Morris Keesan
for baking into pies?
Jean B.
> Hi,
>
> It was asked:
>
> > Yesterday I was most pleased to find nine varieties of heirloom
> > apples at Donelan's in Littleton.
>
> Keown Orchards, which shows up at the Government Center Farmers'
> Markets on MW and Copley on TF, has had over twenty varieties of
> apples for sale the last few weeks, including Golden Russets and a few
> other very old types. Kimball Farms, which makes it to the Brookline
> market on Thursdays and Cambridgeport on Saturdays (and others which I
> am not sure about) has not quite as many varieties, but did have a
> good assortment of the older ones as well.--Rob
>
Brookline to coincide with farmers' markets!
In the meantime I found one variety at Formaggio (Cambridge). It
was, IMO, lacking in merit.
--
Jean B.
Morris Keesan
> In the meantime I found one variety at Formaggio (Cambridge). It was,
> IMO, lacking in merit.
Don't leave us in suspense -- what variety?
Jean B.
> On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:03:00 -0400, Jean B. <jb...@rcn.com> wrote:
>
>> In the meantime I found one variety at Formaggio (Cambridge). It was,
>> IMO, lacking in merit.
>
> Don't leave us in suspense -- what variety?
>
>
The ones at Donelan's were:
Reine de Reinette
Holstein (aka Hohlstein)
Lamb Abbey (~Pearmain)
Orleans Reinette
Cox's (prob. Cox's Orange Pippin)
Blue Pearmain
Hudson's Golden Gem
Ananas Reinette (aka Pineapple Reinette/Pineapple Pippin)
I forgot to get a Hubbardston Nonesuch, which was also at the
Littleton store.
BTW, it turns out that the lady apple, which one can find in
various stores, is also an heirloom apple (assuming they aren't
using that name loosely).
--
Jean B.
Cheryl Isaak
B." <jb...@rcn.com> wrote:
Funny - I just read about the Pomme Gris with in the last few months - I
think it was meant to be a stewing/baking apple, not eaten fresh. I have to
go find which book... I got two about "old foods" from the library via ILL
Cheryl
Jean B.
> Funny - I just read about the Pomme Gris with in the last few months - I
> think it was meant to be a stewing/baking apple, not eaten fresh. I have to
> go find which book... I got two about "old foods" from the library via ILL
>
> Cheryl
>
Interestingly, the information I have says that the pomme gris is
good for cider and eating. Of course, the one I had may not have
been representative of the whole. (I do have one more, but then
the whole batch may not be great.)
--
Jean B.
Dick Margulis
Because of the rainy summer, this has been a lousy year for fruit of all
kinds, at least down here in Connecticut. I wouldn't form a judgment
about a variety or about a grower based on sampling apples this year.
Try again next year (assuming the weather is better) before giving up on
something.
Cheryl Isaak
B." <jb...@rcn.com> wrote:
I know I read the name in one of the books. And I know there was one that
tasted terrible raw, but was prized for stewing and other cooking. Another
French name?
I had had this in my reference collection -"Apples" by Frank Browning, but I
don't think that's the one.
I got of a run of reading about food over the late spring/early summer.
Cheryl
Jean B.
That's a good thing to keep in mind. Thanks!
--
Jean B.
Morris Keesan
> BTW, it turns out that the lady apple, which one can find in various
> stores, is also an heirloom apple (assuming they aren't using that name
> loosely).
According to Michael Pollan, the Lady apple may be one of the *most*
heirloom-ish of apples:
"According to Pliny, the Romans cultivated twenty-three different
varieties of apples, some of which they took with them to England.
The tiny, oblate Lady apple, which still shows up in markets at
Christmastime, is thought to be one of these."
(From "The Botany of Desire", page 12 of the Random House
Trade Paperback Edition, which I happen to be reading this
week).
I don't think I'd ever heard of the Lady apple before seeing
it mentioned in Pollan, and by you, both on Monday.
Cheryl Isaak
Keesan" <mke...@post.harvard.edu> wrote:
"The Botany of Desire" is a great book. You'll enjoy it.
Cheryl
Jean B.
Lady Apple, or whether that name is just being used to denote a
small apple. If they are really Lady Apples, then that is rather
exciting.
--
Jean B.
Dick Margulis
>>
> My question is whether what is being sold under that name is a Lady
> Apple, or whether that name is just being used to denote a small apple.
> If they are really Lady Apples, then that is rather exciting.
>
This URL SHOULD resolve to a Google Images page with a picture of what I
take to be a "real" Lady apple, based on descriptions elsewhere. This is
NOT a Pink Lady apple, which is modern and different.
Is that what you're talking about?
Jean B.
I can't tell from the picture. The main difference that I observe
is the small size of the Lady Apples.
********
I made a quick trip into Boston to get apples at the government
center farmer's market. It was a bit awkward making little
labels--and also having to bag all of the different varieties
separately.
I also saw what I thought might be an heirloom pear--but I think
whoever labeled it might have been dyslectic, because there were
no hits when I googled "Tisney" + "pear".
--
Jean B.
David Chesler
I've never been adventurous in apples.
What varieties should I look for?
--
- David Chesler <che...@post.harvard.edu>
New York's home, but it ain't mine no more
Jean B.
> You all have made them sound interesting.
> I've never been adventurous in apples.
> What varieties should I look for?
>
to try) have been remarkable. But then, as Dick Margulis pointed
out, this may not be the best year to try them. So, sampling an
apple or two or even apples from one year's (or one orchard's)
harvest may very well not be indicative of whether they are good
or not.
This site seems like a fairly good place to start for information
on apples:
http://www.allaboutapples.com/varieties/var_a2.htm
One apple I'd like to find this year is Esopus Spitzenburg, which
isn't on that site....
--
Jean B.
Dick Margulis
>
> One apple I'd like to find this year is Esopus Spitzenburg, which isn't
> on that site....
>
You could drive over to Esopus. Pretty town. Don't know if anyone in the
mid-Hudson Valley still grows that variety, but it will be a lovely
drive regardless.
Jean B.
Unfortunately, I hate long drives!
--
Jean B.