North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[<jelie@new.rr.com>]

Hey Alan,

You reminded me of 'Winter Jewel' which is listed in the Fruit, Berry, and 
Nut Inventory, which is described as tasting like maraschino cherry juice 
after repeated freeze thaw periods.  

I strive to always have something in my yard, year round, that I can eat 
while just looking over things.  Winter is a little more difficult but it can 
be done.

(Was the flavor of those crabapples enhanced with a little wild fermentation?)

Thanks,

Jim Elie
Green Bay WI
zone 4/5


---- Alan Haigh <alandhaigh@gmail.com> wrote: 
> I was on a site in Greenwich CT  yesterday pruning some very old apple trees
> for the Greenwich Landtrust, a private non-profit dedicated to acquiring
> land in their community so it remains undeveloped.
> 
> 
> 
> One of the trees is a huge old crabapple that I doubt is anything other than
> a seedling, partially because it consists of co-dominant trunks that start
> at ground level.  Even after bringing it’s height down considerably it is
> about 30’ tall with a 40’ spread.
> 
> 
> 
> I decided to try one of the shriveled fruit on this tree and it was
> tasteless which I related to my assistant.  On a whim I picked another and
> tried it and it was truly delicious.  After that I ate several more and they
> were all very good- sweet with plenty of acid background and big apple
> flavor.
> 
> 
> 
> Temperatures that had dropped below the teens on several nights and sunlight
> had partially dehydrated the fruit and created a very appealing consistency-
> just juicy enough and a little chewy.
> 
> 
> 
> There are a couple of small Goldrush trees recently planted on the property
> that still have some fruit on them so I tried a couple for comparison and
> even though they were palatable and probably as good as a regular apple can
> be when freeze-thawed several times,  they didn’t come close to the appeal
> of the crabs.
> 
> 
> 
> I remember reading an article by Richard Fayhey in Pomona espousing the
> virtues of apples off the tree in winter, suggesting that they could be
> considered an exciting “new fruit”.   I doubt that there are apples that
> would excite me in this form (Goldrush’s high level of soluble solids should
> lend itself to this treatment) but I actually think the fruit of this crab
> were greatly improved by the freeze-thaw treatment.