Adam's Apples

Last fall I was invited to identify some apples growing in a neighbor's yard.  ¶  Not to beat around the tree: these proved to be Northern Spy, something that the home owners had suspected.  ¶  I'm not actually a great apple detective , so just as well! But my payment was a nice ration of these apples, reminding me of how good they are.  ¶  Why did I need to be reminded?

Not in that wasted garden Where bodies are drawn into grass That feeds no flocks, and into evergreens That bear no fruit — There where along the shaded walks Vain sighs are heard, And vainer dreams are dreamed Of close communion with departed souls — But here

A famous cooking apple, sometimes called "Northern Pie," this heirloom is also great for eating and is still enjoyed across the Northeast. Northern Spy is large, very ribbed, and a little gnarly. A streaky red blush mostly covers yellow-green (actually more yellow than green). My example has a small patch of tiny black russet spots, a wen-like extrudence, and numerous small dents and bruises. Most of these are probably from my own ham-handling, but they suggest a sensitive vulnerability.