Friday, January 03, 2014

From Ariane to Zabergau

For about 5 minutes on New Year’s Day I had the insane idea to eat an apple a day this year in the spirit of the old adage. The biggest obstacle to such a resolution is that I don’t really like apples. They're not altogether unappetizing, but bad experience has turned me off because it is too easy to get a mealy one. There is little worse than taking a bite of an apple and having it go all grainy in your mouth. Horrible.

But I do like a firm apple, and as a word person I’d love if there were more varieties with romantic and evocative names available. This great article mentions the Blue Pearmain, Pound Sweet, Wolf River and Black Oxford. I would try those just for the bragging rights.
If I could get my hands on them. As in the US, in Germany supermarkets offer the same ubiquitous varieties ad nauseam:  Pink Lady, the two Deliciouses, Granny Smith, Fuji, Braeburn, Jonagold, and Royal Gala. If I could drive I could get out to the nearby orchards and get other kinds, but alas, I am not licensed to access unusual apples.
Still, as of today I’m signing up for an apple-a-day January, and will see how it goes. Today I’m doing an Elstar, originally a cross between the Golden Delicious and Ingrid Marie apples. I am not brave enough to bite right into it, but will be using a sharp knife. 

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

My problem with apples is that they give me goose- bumps. Formerly I only ventured to bite into one during hot summer days but lately I suffer through them for the same reason as your resolution. Familiarity has not solved my problem.

May your every bite be a pleasing one.

johanna

SarahJane said...

Thanks, Johanna. Today I learned a trick for telling which apples are mealy - flick at them with your finger. If they sound hollow, they're good. If they sound dull, they're probably mealy. I flicked all the Elstars and got a good one. Smile!

Kathleen said...

I loved the apple section of Botany of Desire. Learning of the all the varieties.

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