We’re pulling out all the stops for cuteness this week with Lady Apples. I hadn’t seen any for what seemed like years (seasonal eating will do that to you) , and their season is very short, so I had to pick one up. Ladies and gentlemen, these are showstoppers!
Image from The Produce Hunter
Theoretically, these make a good holiday apple– they should be available between Thanksgiving and Christmas– but they’re in season a little early this year in New York, it seems. They’re tiny, rosy, and semi-sweet– and just a little bit winey. I think they’d probably be great either made into caramel apples or cooked with pork, but this one didn’t last long enough; it’s a two-bite apple, and Ihad to eat it to find out what it tasted like. If you’re more patient than I am, these apples dry well and can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.e
Rumor (or Produce Pete) has it that “Lady Apples are the oldest variety known, first cultivated by the Romans. The French loved them and thought they were a royal apple; early American colonists thought of them as a symbol of wealth.”
Last week, Hannah of I Heart Kale chimed in to remind me of her recipe for applesauce with ginger and plums that I’ve been meaning to try all month. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? I’m going to be out of town next weekend, but I may have to make some with my haul the week after next if I can find the plums (they were still going strong at the market this week.)
About An Apple a Week: I was inspired to try one new type of apple each week until apple season was over or I couldn’t find any new recipes. I’m going to try to post a new type each Sunday– if you have an apple recipe post you want linked, or want to challenge yourself along with me, please let me know!
