Monday, October 22, 2012

Chandler *

This heritage apple is large, ribbed, and lumpy. A streaky red blush mostly covers bright green, and tiny light lenticels are not prominent.

Chandler unbroken has a pleasant cider aroma and a shiny waxy peel.
Its coarse butter-yellow flesh is juicy and crisp, with just a little give.

The sweet-tart balance is right in the zone to showcase flavors of sweet cider alongside something sharper that I will describe, for lack of a better, as pineapple, though that really isn't right.

There is also a little savory quality in the mix and some faint spice, perhaps ginger and pepper.

Chandler fits in somewhere between the vinous McIntosh family and the savory Winesap. It has some old-fashioned-apple qualities and is worth trying if you ever find it. Its texture is also appealing.

Apples of New York (Beech 2:31) traces Chandler to Connecticut in the first half of the 19th century. It has a raft of Chandler-related names: General Chandler, Chandler's Red, Late Chandler, and so forth.

Beach described Chandler as "but little cultivated" when he wrote in 1905; it is probably even harder to find today.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Adam, I love your blog. I hosted an apple (and honey) tasting for college students last night, and drew heavily from your tasting notes--thank you! If you can provide your email address, I'd be happy to share a photo. Here are the 30 apples we tasted:

    1. Ashmead’s Kemel (Scott Farm, Dummerson, VT)
    2. Blushing Golden (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    3. Braeburn (Comercially imported from New Zealand, organic)
    4. Brock (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    5. Cameo(Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    6. Calville (Scott Farm, Dummerson, VT)
    7. Cortland (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    8. Empire (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    9. Esopus Spitzenberg (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    10. Fuji (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    11. Golden Russet (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    12. Granny Smith (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    13. Honeycrisp (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    14. Hudson’s Golden Gem (Scott Farm, Dummerson, VT)
    15. Jonagold (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    16. King Luscious (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    17. Macoun (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    18. McIntosh (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    19. Mutsu (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    20. Northern Spy (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    21. Pink Lady (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    22. Red Delicious (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    23. Reine de Reinettes (Scott Farm, Dummerson, VT)
    24. Rome (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    25. Roxbury Russet (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    26. Royal Gala (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    27. Sheep’s Nose (Scott Farm, Dummerson, VT)
    28. Spencer (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    29. Splendor (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)
    30. Swiss Gourmet (Kimball Farm, Pepperell, MA)

    Best, Lisa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lisa, what a wonderful event! How did it go?

      You can reach me though the link on my profile page.

      Delete

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