Ready for Apples?!

Posted on 9.10.08 at 8:00 am

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Who doesn’t love to eat apples? Some are tangy, some are sour, some are sweet but they are always delicious! Snagging a fresh one off the tree is a divine and healthy treat. And we are just coming into apple season. There is an orchard near me that my kids call the apple barn. Every year we go to an apple festival and pick fresh apples, go on a hayride through the orchard, and the kids ride ponies. We can’t wait to go again this year.

Did you know you could eat a different apple every day for more than 19 years, and never eat the same kind twice?! There are more than 7,500 different varieties.

The scientific name for the apple is Malus domestica. The apple is a fall fruit. In spring, flowers begin to spring forth on the trees. They are white and pink with five petals. Eventually the petals fall off so the apples can begin to grow.

The fruit is picked in the fall as they ripen and you don’t need an orchard to enjoy a fresh picked apple. One tree will yield enough apples for a single family to eat and share. We hope to plant one soon.

The apple tree did not originate in Asia. It is believed that apple trees predate other fruit trees. Biblical people picture the forbidden fruit as an apple. Early wild apples were small and didn’t taste very good. The Romans learned to turn this “wild child” into a civilized type that people could eat. The results were varieties similar to what we eat today. They were sweet and had white flesh that was tasty.

Alexander the Great is credited with introducing the Grecian society to dwarf apples. On one of his campaigns into Asia Minor, he brought back these trees. Apples were viewed as special treats. No we are told to eat one a day to keep the doctor away.

Colonists brought the apple to America when they first settled here. They couldn’t bring trees on the long sea voyage from England so they carried seeds instead. The seeds were planted and flourished as apple seeds.

The most memorable story of apple cultivation is that of Johnny Appleseed. He is kind of an American folk hero. He made it his life’s work to bring the beauty and taste of the apple to people all across America. Wherever he went, he taught people how to grow apple trees and tend their own orchards. Thanks to him, the industry grew.

Apples and Pears are in season so why not make some apple-pear fruit leathers!

How to Make Apple-Pear Fruit Leathers:

Sort, wash, pare and core apples and pears. Cut the fruit into slices or chunks that can be puréed or ground easily and use a food processor or blender to puree. Spread out thinly on teflex non-stick dehydrator sheets and dehydrate for 6-8 hours. Remove teflex sheets and flip fruit leather over and continue dehydrating until desired moisture is obtained.

These fruit leathers are an excellent snack for children and adults alike and are much better for you than a candy bar!

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