The name "Hermann Mac" suggests the apple is is a sport of McIntosh. If so, it is one that ripens later than the original version.
This sample, from a home orchard, has superficial defects including sooty blotch and flyspeck. These are two wonderfully descriptive names for different fungi that live on the peel and do not affect eating quality.
Today's apple is a "new" Northern Spy–type apple from Nova Scotia (get it?). It's one of the "Nova" series bred by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
This Nova, from a home grower, exhibits both flyspeck (which has nothing to do with flies) and sooty blotch (which has nothing to do with soot) over an uneven orange-red blush and yellow-green peel.
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| The sun sets on the last farmers market of the year in Davis Square, Somerville, where deals can be had. |
The last market of the year closed cold but bright on the day before Thanksgiving.
This medium-sized, slightly tapered apple has a rich (but nonetheless striped) red blush that covers most of an underlying yellow.
Tiny light lenticels widely spaced, ribbing, and a bit of natual gloss, round out the classic look. Mine bears a sweet cidery aroma.
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| The apple trees bask in the low light at Hutchins Farm earlier today. |
This week has been an apple hunt for me. I've picked up some Melrouge, Winesap, Blushing Golden, and Arkansas Black.
I do not know what this little apple may be, if it has a variety name. I just prefer to call it something other than "unknown crabapple 1"
Henderson is a personal nickname.
I shall be surprised if this is in any way good to eat. It may be a spitter.
Halloween marks the border between abundance and scarcity, between summer and winter, between the living and the dead.
Today we are well into hoarding time, scavanging time, pirate time, keeper time.
Four years after I first had this elegant hobo of an apple, I have the opportunity to take a second bite.
I might learn something new, or at least have a very nice (two-star) snack.
These Japanese apples have the same parents. How far does the family resemblence go?
I conclude my long deep dive into Braeburn with two examples bought at a local farmers market on October 20.
The project was inspired by a comment from a reader, who suggested that Braeburn was a fickle, variable apple that could not be relied upon to be the same from harvest to harvest or day to day.
