{"id":8207,"date":"2011-10-19T03:13:00","date_gmt":"2011-10-19T07:13:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2020-08-13T18:25:57","modified_gmt":"2020-08-13T22:25:57","slug":"antique-apples-of-new-england","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardern.co.za\/2011\/10\/antique-apples-of-new-england\/","title":{"rendered":"The Antique Apples of New England"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nAntique apples are suddenly back in style, which is no surprise given that heirloom tomatoes and other vintage vegetables are getting a lot of attention lately, but just try and find some in your local market. Like many things, antique apples will simply remain rare, since the market dictates availabilty based on demand, the high cost of producing and delievering such treats will always keep the antique apple on the specialty produce list, whic too, is not surprising in our mass-market world. ,The number game will keep our Walmart shelves packed with Macintosh and Cortland, so we can jsut forget about convincing \u2018Granny Smith\u2019 to try a \u2018Fameuse\u2019 snow apple for three times the cost. If you don\u2019t believe me, just try to convince your little daughter to take a big bite out of brown, corky colored \u2018Esopus Sptizenburg\u2019.<\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nThe truth is, once you bite into that Spitzenburg, your life will never be the same again; (not that all antique apples taste better than modern ones, some, indeed, suck), but many are quite yummy, a few, even could be food for the Gods- that is, if the Gods don\u2019t mind a few blemishes. Like fine wine and cheese, antique apple varieties are best appreciated by the connoisseur – those who can appreciate the subtle nuances between the hundreds of varieties that are being grown, today. <\/span><\/div>\n
\n <\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nMost antique apples are classified as \u2018winter storage apples\u2019, which simply means that tthey have a higher starch content than modern selections. Many of the storage types though, are tasty, but one must have patience – with time in storage, they can develop a sweetness which one may miss when chomping on the pomme, right from the tree. There are also varieties primarily grown for baking, or for cooking into sauces and stews, and then of course, there are the cider apples, (which, let\u2019s face it – is what old apple varieties generally were used for – alcohol). <\/span><\/div>\n
\n <\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nAntique apple varieties have been shared among those who have been in-the-know for at least 150 years. Most are shared between enthusiasts as grafts, and are not started from seed. So sharing these old apples with friends is a little harder than it is with those plants which come true-from-seed (like heirloom tomatoes). Apples are open pollinated, and seed will revert back to whatever parents where used to create the original selection.<\/span><\/div>\n