Bobbing for apples started as a Celtic New Year's tradition
to determine whom you would marry.
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Varieties
If you've been wondering just how many apple varieties
there are, the answer is 7,500 worldwide. The United States
grows 2,500 of these, but just 100 of them are grown commercially.
Apples are grown in 36 U.S. states, but six states -- Washington,
New York, Michigan, California, Pennsylvania and Virginia
-- produce the vast majority.
If you've had your fill of some of the more popular apple
varieties (the top five in the United States are Red Delicious,
Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji and Granny Smith), try one of
our slightly unusual, but very tasty, apple varieties available at Newport Market.
How To
· Select & Store
Recipes
· Hot Apple Cider
· Apple Crisp
· Apple Compote
· Grilled Apples over Vanilla Ice Cream
· Baked Apples
· Apple Pancakes
· French Apple Tart with Caramel Sauce
· Cranberry & Sour Apple Tart
· Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Health Benefits
One medium-sized apple (unpeeled) has only 80 calories, no fat,
cholesterol or sodium. They have a substantial amount of Vitamin
C and carotene and are uncommonly rich in flavonoids and other
polyphenols.
Apples also have about five grams of fiber and are high in
pectin. Pectin is a soluble dietary fiber that encourages the
growth of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. Eating raw
apples also aids in cleaning the teeth and gives the gums a massage.
Season
Nowadays you can get apples year-round, but traditionally,
apples were eaten from the end of summer through late fall
-- and if you're looking for the most flavorful apples, that's
still the best time to get them.
History
Apples appear in many religious traditions, often as a mystical and forbidden fruit.
One of the problems identifying apples in religion, mythology and
folktales is that the word "apple" was used as a generic term for all
fruit, other than berries but including nuts, as late as the 17th C. CE.
Apples have been around since ancient times. There is the
famous apple tree in the Garden of Eden, and there is evidence
that sun-dried apples were eaten during the Stone Age. Greek
and Roman mythology refers to apples as a symbol for love
and beauty (they were used during marriage ceremonies and
courtships, hence the saying "the apple of my eye"),
and in the 1800s, John Chapman became well-known for planting
apple tress in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and beyond, earning
him the name "Johnny Appleseed."
Today, apples are one of America's most popular fruits, with
each American eating about 65 apples a year.