 Silk Road Traveler: The Apple
Apples almost ready for picking in an orchard. Photos by Jocelyn Hubbell.
Apples were always in the house as I was growing up and the adage, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," was a frequent reminder to select the apple over other snack options. I grew to love eating them whether raw or cooked, plain or spiced, or paired with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese. I've eaten apples for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and as a beverage!
The best apples are fresh-picked from the tree. And it's apple picking season now! There are hundreds of varieties grown in Maine. Each has been developed through careful breeding for how it will be eaten: raw, cooked, or as cider.
The ancestor of the domestic apple is Malus sieversii from the mountains of Kazakhstan in Central Asia. It was domesticated between 4,000 to 10,000 years ago. Apples journeyed the Silk Road to Europe in the pockets of travelers and the bags of traders. They arrived in North America with European colonists and were grown on colonial farms, and spread throughout North America along travel and trade routes.
Interesting Facts
- Crab apples are the only native apple to to North America.
- The first North American apple orchard was planted in Boston in 1625 by Reverend William Blaxton.
- Apples are propagated by grafting rather than seed to preserve the desired domesticated traits.
- At least 7,500 cultivars (varieties produced by selective breeding) have been bred for different flavors and specific uses.
- The central flower of a flower cluster (of usually 4-6 flowers) is called the "king bloom" because it opens first and under good conditions will produce a larger fruit that the other blossoms within the cluster.
- Flower buds are pink; blossoms are white with a pink tinge that fades as the flowers age.
Activities for Children and the Young at Heart
- Find a Pick-Your-Own Maine orchard and experience the fun of gathering apples straight from the tree.
- Check out the amazing Maine Heritage Orchard - a collection of over 300 varieties of apples and pears traditionally grown in Maine - includes varieties from all 16 counties in Maine dating back as far as 1630! The orchard got its start in a reclaimed gravel pit.
- Make a list of how many ways you have enjoyed apples. Include all the food and beverages, games (Have you ever bobbed-for-apples or played apple-on-a-string?), stories, poems and artwork that you know of that include apples.
- Try cooking with apples - find a new pie recipe, make a sauce, or press some cider. See how many ways you can prepare apples and add them to meals. (Example: thin-sliced apples in a sandwich with either peanut butter or hummus.) Is there an apple cooking recipe that has been passed down through your family for generations?
- Make a list of all the apple varieties you have eaten, can find at the grocers and farmers markets. Search out new varieties and try them!
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