October 27, 2011
Gravenstein and Heirloom Apples 0
Last weekend while attending the Beverly Hills Apple Festival (funny to note: only the Whole Foods booth actually had apples – although it still a great family afternoon) last weekend, I was informed that the Gravenstein apple I was eating was an “heirloom” or antique variety of apple. This I knew, but the woman then went on to tell me that there was a recent LA Times article talking about how there weren’t many around anymore and only one orchard in all of California produced them. “Two,” I corrected her. Parrish Pioneer Ranch grows Gravensteins and several other antique varieties of apples just 90 minutes from where we were standing.
This year, despite a horrible freeze in the spring which left many of the Oak Glen orchards – Parrish Ranch included – with a significantly smaller crop, we have still managed to see a wide variety of apples on our shelves this season. There have been the usual suspects: Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, Rome Beauty, Spartan, Gala, Jonagold, Arkansas Black, Mutsu (also know as Crispin and great for baking) and then the heirloom varieties: Parkdale Beauty, Gravenstein and Winesap.
We’re also very proud that for the third year now, the apples you enjoy from Parrish Ranch are pesticide-free.
Of course I went home and had to look up the article – it can be found here: http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-gravenstein-20110811,0,5841970.story.