North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Heron Breen <breen@fedcoseeds.com>]

Well, I got home from work and went immediately to the root cellar. It had 
been 
more than a week since I had spent a night marvelling over the hissing 
apples, so I 
wanted to see what was going on down there and answer some the questions you 
all 
have put forth.
Ohhh Yes there is now alcohol. Indeed, the flesh has the appearance of 
solidity and 
when touch is obviously holding in a mushy substance. When cut, the flesh, 
now more 
pulp-like inside has a high end pear wine and gin smell. Some apples have 
turned 
into fermented brown blobs, but most kept their shape and color. Probably a 
quarter 
of the apples were tossable, and many fermenting but still edible, yet odd. 
The 
cores of fermented apples, watercore is present in a good percentage (but not 
all), 
and watercore was widespread this year here. So, what looked like a stable 
fizzy a 
week or so ago, is now a definite off the tree eater. But I will still try to 
hold 
some next year. I still think the unique skin has something to do with this 
situation, as I never thought of these apples as tender handlers, but not as 
leather suitcases either. Again, the other varieties in the cellar are 
without 
verbal complaint, and some of them also have watercore.
Is there any use for a high fermenting apple? Cider? I was was told by a good 
friend/cider maker than the faster the ferment, the lousier the cider as a 
rule, so 
maybe that's out. And again, I suppose it could be the year. Many folks had 
predicted this as a poor keeping year due to high rains and low light levels.
So ends the tale of the Acapella Apple,
Heron Breen
PS the sound will not register on my computer mike, but maybe it would on 
something 
professional quality. You'll just have to trust me that it talked, okay? I 
feel 
like the singing frog Looney tunes episode, where the frog would only sing in 
front 
of its owner, only pathetically croaking when brought to an audition.