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Seasons/Availability
Red apples are available year round.
Current Facts
The red apple is one of the most well know commercially grown apples in the United States. Throughout the years many different varieties have been developed in order to make improvements to the color of the apple as well as make it more suitable for travel and increase its shelf life. Some argue that this has had a negative impact on the flavor and lead to a decline in market demand for the
red.
Description/Taste
The thick skin of the red apple is bright to deep red in color, oftentimes speckled with faint white lenticels (spots). Its creamy white flesh is slightly crisp and dense offering a mildly sweet flavor and slightly flora aroma.
Nutritional Value
red apples offer a small amount of vitamin A and vitamin C and have only a trace of sodium. They contain pectin, a beneficial fiber that has been shown to help promote healthy cholesterol levels and slow glucose metabolism in diabetics. red apples are also higher in antioxidants than many other apple varieties, most of which is contained in their skin.
Applications
red apples are best used in fresh preparations, as their flesh does not hold up well when cooked. Add to green, fruit and chopped salads. Use as an edible garnish on sandwiches, quesadillas and burgers. Since their flesh breaks down easily they can be successfully slow cooked and pureed to make sauces and soups. Their flavor pairs well with cinnamon, cheddar cheese, horseradish, chard, cherries,
mustard and pecans.
Geography/History
The red apple was discovered as a chance seedling in 1872 on the Iowa farm of Jesse Hiatt. He marketed it under the name Hawkeye and eventually sold the rights to a fruit company known as Stark Brothers. The apple was first renamed Delicious and later on when Stark Brothers discovered another apple and named it Golden Delicious they renamed the Delicious, red. The red apple saw tremendous commercial
success between 1940 and the late 1980’s, with the bulk of the supply coming out of Washington State. Its popularity has declined slightly the past twenty years as consumer interest has swayed to new varieties as well as towards a renewed interest in heirloom apples.
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