Massachusetts Heritage Apples

Many fine old apples come into their own in October. 

Without planning to do so, I've been gorging on four varieties from my home state of Massachusetts.

These are, clockwise from upper left:

• Baldwin (Wilmington, mid 19th cent.)
• American Beauty (Sterling, mid 19th cent.)
• Westfield Seek-No-Further (Westfield, late 18th cent.)
• Blue Pearmain (unknown; see note)

Eating these apples is gustatory time travel. Baldwin and Westfield are absolute knockouts.

About Blue Pearmain: The certain Massachusetts connection is Henry David Thoreau's affection for this apple (Concord, early-mid 19th cent., but Big Blue is doubtless older than that).

Blue Pearmain may well have originated in Massachusetts, and very probably in the northeastern United States, but no one seems to know for sure.