Friday Fruits: Apples

Fruit =
The ripened, fully developed ovary of a flower containing 1 or more seeds.

This is the time of year when we enjoy the flowers of spring and summer in the form of fruit. Wild berries adorn shrubs and trees as leaves fall to the ground. Markets now feature our winter fruits and vegetables that can be kept in cold storage until early spring. Our local fruit season starts with strawberries, then cherries, apricots, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, plums, melons and more. The fall season brings local grapes, pears and finally apples.

Grandma always said the best apples are available after the first frost. My grandfather bought land near the town where they lived and planted pines and apple trees many years ago. After Granddad's death, my uncle managed the orchard and we spent many fall weekends picking apples for him and grounders for our family. The Devins orchard is still in operation in its 85th year and is managed by my cousin and her husband.

I have often thought about what fruit I would label as my favourite. I love many different local and tropical fruits but if I had to pick just one, it would be the apple. Few fruits are as versatile and enjoyed in so many ways. I regularly eat raw apples, applesauce, apple butter, apple cider, apple pie, apple fritters, baked apples, dried apples, apple crisp, apples with turnip or cabbage, and apples in muffins, cakes and other baked goods.

They are available locally throughout the winter and I can purchase half-bushels at the market or a local Mennonite farm from $5-12 depending on the grade. The family orchard had several heritage apple varieties including Snows, Wealthys, and Tolman Sweets. My maiden name is Tolman, a rather uncommon surname, but used to identify a type of green apple. There is one vendor at our market who sells heritage fruit at his stall. My favourite cooking apple is the Cortland as it cooks to a soft consistency and makes the best applesauce. Some people favour Spy apples for cooking as they keep their form when baked.


My mother always handed out apples to trick or treaters in October. Those were the times when we also received home made treats like popcorn balls or fudge and carried UNICEF boxes to collect loose change. Apples would be thrown out of loot bags now, but there is no fruit that says fall like an apple.

What is your favourite fruit?