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I've already written about the first three of the six, which included a second bite for me of Tompkins King.
There was also a mystery apple that I think could be the great Ashmead's Kernel. (Others disagree.)
The second trio, below, also includes one apple that Josh knows for sure. It is Kingston Black, a famous cider apple.
I am developing a good deal of respect for the original farmer of this orchard, who had a discriminating taste in apples and must have planted for pleasure rather than commerce.
Or perhaps for cider.
Apple 4 (below) is Kingston Black, sweet, weird, and cottony. I posted my review last week. (Note that many assure me a fresh-off-the-tree sample would not be so soft.)
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Apple 5 is an oblate, ribbed green apple with a streaky red blush covering about half. It is dotted with light lenticels in the blushed area, and has a glossy peel.
This one has the look of a
McIntosh
family member about it. My samples have lots of bruises.
It eats like a Mac too: vinous, with raspberry notes, and snow-white flesh. Indeed the berries are strong, and a little spice, and an appealing sweetness.
It surely isn't a McIntosh and I do not recognize it. Still, No. 5 could be a Mac offspring I've had that just expresses its flavors differently in western Washington. Or it could be something new.
This is very good; I'd probably give it 2 stars if I knew what it was.Apple 6: I have two of these, one large and the other positively enormous. They are both broad and noticeably ribbed, with a streaky red blush that, over yellow, has an orange cast. Gray-brown lenticel dots are there, just not obvious.
Judging by the bruises, these are a little fragile.
Biting in finds crisp medium-coarse flesh, light yellow, that bears a wonderful flavor of Concord grapes, which grow wild and fragrant in September in my part of the world.
I guess you might call that vinous, though it is not really what apple eaters mean by that word.
The crunch is really excellent, breaking off in satisfying chunks. No. 6 also brings a floral quality and a small bitter note that is its only defect.
I have absolutely no idea what this may be but find it enchanting. The finish is pleasantly astringent.
Whew
Well thank you, Josh, that was both fun and exhausting. Do take the idea of No. 3 as Ashmead's seriously, though it could be a lesser russet (and, here are some contrary views).
Finally, I have another bundle (from Central Massachusetts) to run though the analytical engine.
No rest for the weary, or unpunished good deed, this time of year.
@Josh & @Adam: Can Josh tell us a bit more about the orchard? Is it 6 trees or 600? Have you identified other varieties? If Josh knows what other trees are in the orchard, we could at least eliminate those as the mystery apples. And if all the other apples are eg cider apples, that might be useful information. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind knowing more too.
DeleteInformation for the curious
ReplyDeleteThe apples from this abandoned orchard are on a farm here in Western WA, specifically in Snohomish County, that was settled by a European immigrant in the late 1800s. From the history we've been able to gather, it was primarily a dairy farm that also logged from the surrounding old growth forest for extra money. Around the 1950s-60s the farm changed hands and went from dairy to racing quarterhorse breeding.
From that point all of the existing fruit trees more or less became neglected or outright abandoned.
For the orchard itself where the bulk of these trees were, from what I've been able to determine clearing through the brush is that there were about 18 trees. That's apples/plums/pears/etc all together.
The apple trees appeared to have been grafted on seedling rootstock, as they are quite big. The largest of the trees have trunks approaching 16 inches in diameter.
At this point in time, there are still 6 apple trees in that area that are still alive: The Ashmead/Rubinette mystery, Winter Banana, Unknown #6, a mind-numbingly astringent golfball sized green apple(Great for cider blending!), and two full size things that look like seedling rootstock that took over after the original grafts died out; small green scab prone spitters that have no discernible quality.
Elsewhere, apple trees like Unknown #1, Unknown #5, and Duchess of Oldenburg were planted by the farmhouse.
I'm still finding more, too! Just last week when exploring along a small creek on the opposite end of the property, I discovered this tree:
https://imgur.com/a/iEbsGVR
I wouldn't dare send this one to Adam. The skin is extremely thin and fragile. It would be a mess by the time it got through the mail.
By the way, thanks Adam! It's been fun sending you my discoveries and having someone who has enjoyed an apple or two share their thoughts on them.
If possible, next year I'll send you some more of Unknown #1. The one you ended up with was a late pick, the last one on the tree in fact. I'm glad it was still a pleasant eat, but my observations was that it's at the peak in early September. I had a few during that time period that tasted of roasted coconut. I hope that flavor returns next year!
Thank you, Josh. If you are right about the dates, and that the horse-breeder owners did nothing with the apples, then I think we can rule out Rubinette. Rubinette was not commercialized until after that.
DeleteWhether that apple (No. 3) is Ashmead's or not is another question. I still think it is a credible contender.
Apple #6 looks like - in shape - a Hubbardston nonesuch. Color differs, but same description of slightly course, yellow flesh. Seems unlikely for an apple to make it from MA to WA?
ReplyDelete@anon: Apples do travel, and I see what you are saying about the shape. But to me, the flavor set does not match. No. 6 is not nutty, while I've never had anything like that grape in a Hubbardston.
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