"Way up high in the apple tree
All the little apples smiled at me.
I shook that tree as hard as I could,
Down came the apples,
Mmmm, were they good"
Author unknown
We begin our Rosh Hashanah meal by dipping apple into honey and asking G-d to bless us with a sweet, good year. At Rosh Hashanah, the apple, along with honey, has become a tradition.
But, which type of apples should we dip in honey, bake into our apple cake or pie, use to make applesauce or simply enjoy as a snack. KosherEye will try to take a “bite” out of the apple mystique.
Which is which?
Eating:
Some excellent “eating” choices are Braeburn, Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Cortland, Red Delicious, McIntosh, Jonagold, and Pink Lady. Varying the variety of apples on the serving platter enhances the color presentation, taste, and textures.
Baking:
For “baking” delectable classic holiday apple cakes or pies, many apple experts suggest Braeburn, Gala, Gravenstein, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Rome, Pink Lady, Jonagold, and York Imperial.
Salads:
Some considered best for salads are Cortland, Golden Delicious, and Fuji.
Leftovers:
Leftover apples are perfect for preparing applesauce!
Preventing Apples From Turning Brown:
Brown apples are one of the most vexing culinary problems. When apples that are cut open and turn that unappetizing brown color, they are actually going through the process of oxidation – when the apple’s cells react to the air that they are exposed to.
There are several ways to prevent browning: Brush your apple slices with lemon juice or dip apple slices in lemon-lime soda, such as Sprite or 7UP.
Some Interesting Apple Facts:
- The crabapple is the only apple native to North America.
- Two pounds of apples make one 9-inch pie.
- Apples are grown in all 50 states.
- The apple variety ‘Red Delicious' is the most widely grown in the United States with over 62 million bushels harvested annually.
- The pilgrims planted the first United States apple trees in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
- One of George Washington's hobbies was pruning his apple trees.
- Apples are a member of the rose family.
- Some apple trees will grow over 40 feet high and live over 100 years.
- Apples ripen six to ten times faster at room temperature than if they were refrigerated.
- Don't peel your apple. Two-thirds of the fiber and lots of antioxidants are found in the peel. Antioxidants help to reduce damage to cells, which can trigger some diseases.
- World's top apple producers are China, United States, Turkey, Poland and Italy. China in #1!
- The top 5 apple producing states are Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania and California
- Apples are on the “buy organic” list – the”dirty dozen” list of foods to avoid which have considerable pesticide residue.
Aunt Ruthy's Apple Strudel, Apple Upside-Down Cake and Family Apple Cake are three recipes that highlight the delectable, versatility of the apple. Enjoy!
To “grow” in your apple education, please visit Apples and More.