Heart to Hearth Cookery

The exact origin of the Blue Permain is unknown but it dates back in New England to the 1700’s and ancient trees are still found in rural Central and Southern Maine. The apple has an incredible blue-purple color with russet around the stem and raised russeting, linked like a fine mesh.   The skin is tough  but the fruit is with sweet with a hint of tart.      Visit my website at:   www.hearttohearthcookery.com

Maiden Blush is one of the oldest of the American apples. This variety of apple was brought to notice by Samuel Allinson of Burlington, New Jersey and was described by William Coxe in his manuscript ( A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees in America published 1817) as “popular with the Philadelphia market”. The thin yellow skin is tough and smooth which ripens with a crimson blush, hence the name Maiden Blush. A very aromatic apple even uncut and wonderful for the table, it was favored for drying because the flesh remains white.     Visit my website at:   www.hearttohearthcookery.com

The Ribston Pippin dates to the early 18^th century with sources quoting 1707, 1708 and 1709 when Sir Henry Goodricke of Ribston Hall, of Knaresborough in Yorkshire received three seeds sent to him from Normandy.  Only one of the three seeds germinated and matured and that became the Ribston Pippin.  This pippin became a highly esteemed dessert apple in the Victorian era with an intense, aromatic apple flavor combined with an intense sharpness.           Visit my website at:   www.hearttohearthcookery.com

The Esopus Spitzenburg is probably the most noted for being one of Thomas Jefferson’s two favorite dinner or table apples.  (The other favorite the Albemarle Pippin).  He planted thirty-two Spitzenburg trees in the South Orchard at Monticello between 1807 and 1812.  This apple, praised for its appearance and taste, was discovered in Esopus, a town in the Hudson River Valley during the late 1700’s.

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The Reine des Reinette (queen of the little queens) originated around the 1770’s and was a favorite of the elite in France, England and Germany. The apple is known for its unique flavor profile but today this apple is very elusive and has been almost lost due perhaps to its very modest physical appearance.

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The Ashmead’s Kernel apple was originated from seed (kernel) planted by Dr. Thomas Ashmead in Gloucester, England in 1720.   The Ashmead is memorable in taste for the apple connosieur who considers taste to be king but not a winner in  appearance as it is a homely apple, drab, lumpy and fairly small.    Visit my website at:  www.hearttohearthcookery.com

There is confusion about the Golden Russet, is it an English Russet or American Golden Russet. The English Russet was discovered in the 1700’s. The apple is yellow gold with some orange flush on the sun side and much russeting. It is an excellent eating apple but due to its appearance it does not market well.

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The Fameuse (Old French for famous) or Snow Apple (aptly named due to its glistening snow white flesh and the tree’s hardiness in cold climates) origins are in France from a seed in the 1600’s and it came to North America in the 1700’s to French settlements. It is one of the very few apples that often reproduce true to variety when planted from seed and is considered a parent of the well-known McIntosh.

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The Franc Rambour was a popular apple in colonial America but has its origin in a village in France, circa 1535, for which it was named.  Over time the name of the apple evolved to Summer Rambour (due to its early harvest) which was shortened to Summer Rambo before 1850.  It should not be confused with the Rambo apple of Swedish orgin which is sometimes referred to as the Winter Rambo.  The Franc Rambour is a large green apple with red stripes that is very crisp, tart, juicy and aromatic.