King David

A nice tart apple, but also a reminder to take my reviews with a grain of salt.

Today's heirloom is small and classically shaped with very little ribbing. Its red blush, streaky to saturated, covers half to most of the yellow-green peel.

David's lenticels are small, dark on the green and light on the blush.

Squeezing one feels very firm, and there is a faint mossy smell.

The flesh of King David is medium-fine-grained and white shot with green. This apple has a great crunch and is a little chewy.

For taste, there is refreshing tartness balanced by some sweet, along with some active acidity. Cane sugar and lime notes leave a nice clean feeling in my mouth.

I'd want one of these guys as a chaser or as part of a medley of apples. Despite the acidity I nibbled David down to the core.

Over at Apples and Oranges Kevin Hauser praises this variety. His description might be of a different apple completely.

Its blush there is so dark and saturated that he initially mistakes it for Arkansas Black, and he finds a "deep, rich, winey taste that ripens in November."

Apples grow here too!
(Photo courtesy Vicky Segwick)

Kevin's fruit grows under very different conditions than those that obtain here in New England. He is devoted to defying conventional wisdom about apples (and does so successfully and often).

November works out to something like January in Massachusetts years, converting from Kevin's Southern California growing season.

Furthermore my samples were picked in September, a month too early according to the old Stark Brothers catalog Kevin cites.

Thinking about that raises some humbling questions about this blog. Where do I get off passing judgment on these varieties based on a few samples that may or may not be representative?

That I do the best I can with what I have, and that everything is rebuttable on principle, is worth repeating. Especially so for varieties that did not originate in the region where I live.

After reading Kevin's account I held one sample back until November to see if the flavors changed in storage. They did but in unremarkable ways (attenuation, mostly).

Writing about King David in Best Apples to Buy and Grow, Curt Rom says, "The occasional argument over whether this is a sweet or tart apple indicates some seasonal variation and a well-balanced combination of sugars and acids." Certainly, but add sensitivity to climate and local growing conditions to "seasonal variation."

Sources seem to agree that King David is a Jonathon cross but disagree about with what (Winesap and Arkansas Black mentioned as possibilities).

Update November 2012: I am pleased to report a new King David tasting review based on some top-quality apples.

The new review replaces this one in my opinionated catalog of apples. Meanwhile, the comments below may be of interest.