Friday, September 27, 2013

Maiden's Blush *

Medium-sized, very oblate, green-yellow with smooth rosy cheeks, Maiden Blush resembles nothing so much as a supersized Lady Apple.

Its small light lenticels are nearly unnoticeable. In hand it is quite firm to the squeeze.

Inside this apple is fine-grained white flesh, somewhat dense and hard. The flavors are balanced but on the tart side, and perhaps more chewy than crunchy.

After the initial acidity recedes there is some cane sugar and a hint of berries, followed by a whisper of vanilla banana.

Maiden's Blush is far from unpleasant but also far from the mainstream. Sample it for something different.

My discovery of this apple has caused me to blush because I now list two different varieties with the same name. In fact there appear to be 3 Maidens' Blushes.

My other, very different, blush is here.

I'll try to run this puzzle to ground but in the mean time this apple is the variety that commonly bears that name, at least in North America. It originated in New Jersey some 200 years ago.

4 comments:

  1. I have a Maiden's Blush tree that had apples on for the fist time in 2017. the apples on the northern "shaded side" looked like your Maiden's Blush**. the apples on the southern 'sunny side' looked like Maiden's Blush*. could be yours are an example of 'location,location,location.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are other differences besides color though (taste, texture)

      Delete
  2. For your puzzle, it may be useful to look at Pomiferous. They have listed a green/red apple originating in Eastern US (1700s) named Maiden Blush and listed as a baking apple. And a yellow apple originating in UK (1800s) named Maiden's Blush and listed as dessert apple.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is right. I reviewed the "other" MB in 2011 (link above, in my blog post).

      Pomiferous is a great suggestion. I reviewed it 2 years ago, and link to it on my Links page.

      Delete

Join the conversation! We'd love to know what you think.