The Fatherland of Apples

June 20, 2008 8:59 AM

The Fatherland of Apples Orion Magazine chronicles "[t]he origins of a favorite fruit and the race to save its native habitat." More about the origins of the apple and wild apples by Michael Pollan, Jake Fleming (PowerPoint), William J. Bramlage (PDF), Linda McCandless (with the germplasm repository catalog here (PDF)) and Barrie Edward Juniper (Google Books preview).
posted by cog_nate (15 comments total)

Recent related thread: Beyond the McIntosh.
posted by ericb at 9:03 AM on June 20, 2008

I am fortunate to live in apple country. I can see orchards out my sun room window. Thanks for the post.
posted by netbros at 9:12 AM on June 20, 2008

Here's Johnny!
posted by trueluk at 9:13 AM on June 20, 2008

Fantastic link, thank you.
posted by longdaysjourney at 9:19 AM on June 20, 2008

great Harold Mcgee piece
posted by grobstein at 9:35 AM on June 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

Great post, and I love the McGee article.
posted by everichon at 9:47 AM on June 20, 2008

Thanks for that Harold McGee link, grobstein.
posted by cog_nate at 9:51 AM on June 20, 2008

We've got a good amount of local orchards and a killer farmers market and Co-op, but I am now officially very envious of the Finger Lakes region and Kazakhstan.
posted by everichon at 10:07 AM on June 20, 2008

Wow! It is true that there is a lack of diversity in the varieties of apples sold at farmers' markets and supermarkets in the USA. I have not seen cooking apples - those sour, big apples that we use for pies or bake with raisins and sugar -- since I came to the USA, ten years ago. Sometimes I yearn for that symphony of taste that hits the palate with a true Bramley apple ... I know they must be out there somewhere, probably hidden in a rural orchard ...
posted by Susurration at 10:15 AM on June 20, 2008

Super cool. This kinda reminds me of when I first learned algebra means bonesetter.
posted by MNDZ at 10:28 AM on June 20, 2008

I would absolutely love to see the apple forest. The smell must be amazing.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 10:51 AM on June 20, 2008

If you like the Pollan piece, he expanded it into one of the four sections of the book The Botany of Desire.
The Geneva station sounds really interesting, but I couldn't tell from their website if visitors are welcome.
posted by MtDewd at 11:18 AM on June 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

great post, thanks muchly...

y'all might be interested in Roger Yepsen's book Apples - a nice little compact tome featuring beautiful & precise watercolors of almost a hundred different varieties of apples, along with a ton of interesting historical & culinary info
posted by jammy at 11:25 AM on June 20, 2008

Poverty Lane Orchards in New Hampshire has not only the most amazing cider EVER (their single-varietal Kingston Black cider is just astonishing) but they also have pick your own in the fall and wholesale ordering through the links above. If you're in that neck of the woods, do check them out. There are an awful lot of heirloom apples available in Maine, too.

I can't wait for fall here in Ohio -- Mutsu apples, yum.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 3:02 PM on June 20, 2008

Prince Charles has also done his bit to help save the apple. More here.

Very cool post, thanks!
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 4:50 PM on June 20, 2008