The grandson listened, then looked up at his grandfather and asked, "Which one will win?"
The grandfather replied, "The one we feed."
The Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia is a long way from Kazakhstan, Central Asia, where botanists believe the apple has its origins. Existing as a wild fruit since prehistoric times, it was the ancient Romans, Greeks and Egyptians that began cultivating the apple more than 3,000 years ago. Being in the heart of the silk route, as nomads and traders passed through the Kazakhstan, they would gather apples, and thus the humble, yet dynamic apple started its journey around the world. With 7,500 varieties, of which 50 are grown commercially, apples are now grown in every corner of the world. From Japan, Madagascar, South Africa, New Zealand, Russia, China, England, France to Canada & the U.S.
The Spartan is a tasty British Columbian success story. A member of the extensive McIntosh family, the Spartan is a cross between the McIntosh and Newton Pippin that was developed at the Summerland Research Station in 1936. With a crisp and bright flavour, Spartans keep well and mellow and gain flavour in storage.
Apples have a special appeal, not just commercially, but also for community and residential planting. The apple tree has a long life, is easy to grow and thrives in just about any climate. It offers shade for warm summer days, a home for birds, flowers for bees, and what great fun to climb. But what to do with all those apples?! We all love home made apple sauce, apple pie, apple crumble, apple chips… What happens when the tree owner doesn’t have the time, ability, or resources to pick their trees? Often, you will find the yard scattered with wasted fruit.
Another BC success story is The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project. The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project is a community-based, registered not-for-profit society that works to build community and strengthen food security using local fruit. The idea is simple: to connect people who have excess fruit from their backyard trees with volunteers who have the time and energy to harvest it. The harvested fruit is donated to community organizations such as neighbourhood houses, community kitchens, and friendship centres. Educational canning workshops enhance food preservation skills by training diverse members of our communities to safely preserve fruit using simple, up-to-date canning processes. The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project enables communities to connect through the growth, harvest, distribution, and celebration of locally-grown, backyard fruit. In doing so, it fosters community engagement, alternatives to market-based agriculture, and strong food security networks in Vancouver.
Started in 1999 by a group of Vancouver residents coming together to address their common concern for the large amount of fruit going to waste in their neighbourhoods, The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project now works with over 50 tree owners and 100 volunteers to harvest over 4,000 lbs of fruit annually from backyards throughout Vancouver.
Just as in my childhood, the mighty apple is part of the celebration of community and the change of seasons.
Paula Luther
Coordinator
The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project
604-873-1191
fruit@vcn.bc.ca
www.vcn.bc.ca/fruit
It seems apples are part of my genetic make up, they bookend the growing season in my mind. Spring starts with the fragrance of apple blossoms in the air and the taste of fall is that of a crisp apple. Fresh crisp apples in the cool fall air, warm apple crisp, freshly stewed apple sauce with cinnamon, yellow, red, and green and beautiful variations in between. Spartan, Fuji, Braeburn, Mutsu, Pippin, MacIntosh, Gala and beyond, I love them all - except for the Red Delicious. I have never really been a fan of the Red Delicious. Until just a few days ago, then I had my apple revelation.
I arrived at the Vancouver Public Library, to see Michael Ableman speak, and was given an organic Red Delicious apple form George & Anna Zebroff's farm in Cawston. It was the comment 'it tastes like the holidays' that convinced me to give the old Red Delicious another try. Gone were the spongy texture and the lackluster taste that I found so uninspiring. This Red Delicious was bursting with taste & vitality. The most beautiful shade of red, it fit perfectly in my hands, and as I ate my apple, I relished in the delight of a newly discovered treat. This changes everything! Just as I could taste the warm Cawston sun and cool water that gave this apple life, I could taste the love that nurtures the apples and the land.
I was so pleased to see photographs and hear tales of George & Anna during Michael Ableman's presentation. As I looked around the room and saw people munching away on their apples, I couldn't help but feel like George and Anna were in the room with us.
I could not wait to share my apple revelation. The next morning, I started my class at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition by giving each student a Red Delicious apple from George & Anna's farm. Not only a good source of insoluble fiber, and good for digestion, heart health, and balancing blood sugar, the apple is also part of our folklore, and community. Farmers Markets are always a great way to connect with the people who are lovingly growing our food. With Winter Market season upon us, take the opportunity to stop by the Market, pick up some apples and chat with farmers about the diverse varieties grown right here in BC. It will add a sweet & tangy delight to your fall. Be prepared for a revelation of your own.
I wonder if it was a Red Delicious that fell on Newton's head....
Revelation Apple Crisp
6-8 local apples cored & chopped
(mix & match varieties for an explosion of taste & texture)
1/3 cup apple juice
¼ cup maple syrup
to taste grated fresh ginger
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup spelt flour
¼ cup sucunat
¼ cup organic palm shortening or organic coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
1/3 cup chopped nuts & seeds (almonds, hemp nut, sunflower seeds, etc.)
Preheat oven 350° F.
Core & chop apples, add apple juice, maple syrup and fresh ginger. In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Mix 2/3 of dry mixture with apple mixture and place in lightly oiled baking dish. Top with remaining dry mixture.
Bake for 35 – 45 minutes.
Serve with tea & good friends
*use organic & local ingredients whenever possible
Apples are produced all around the world, but as luck would have it, there is an abundant supply of apples right here in BC. A trip to the farmers market will be rich with beautiful apples – red, green, yellow & every shade in between. Crisp and bursting with flavour like nothing else. Sweet to tart – there is something for every taste.
Of course, there are our old favourites – MacIntosh, Gala, Spartan, Mutsu. But this year, it is all about the new for me. The Sinta Gold – wow! Firm, crisp, moist, slightly tart, and you can taste the sunshine in it. I am having a love affair with the Sinta Gold – how did I go this long without discovering it?!
Maybe it is the love that am tasting? The Sinta Golds I am eating have been grown with love by Walter Harvey & family on Snowy Mountain Organic Farm in the Cawston, BC. Certified Organic & Biodynamic, you can taste the cool mountain water, warm desert sun, rich glacier soil in each bite. But, I think the secret ingredient is the love. With a happy family of humans, horses and dogs, these apples have a good life before landing in my hand. The proof is in the bite.
The Sinta Gold is yet another homegrown delight. Developed in the Summerland Research Lab, it is one we can call our own.
Not convinced? Try sampling your way through a farmers market to find your favourite variety – for eating, for cooking, for sharing. Your Local Farmers Market will be hosting a Winter Market the Second & Forth Saturday of the month at the Wise Hall, 10am – 2pm, admission is free. There will be a variety of apple growers there to delight your senses in apple flavours & tales. And to supply you with your apple a day. Enjoy!
Favourite Fall Apple Recipe
equipment needed:
hand – front & back
ingredients:
one fresh apple
instructions:
place apple firmly in hand, rub until shiny & bright
with apple held in palm of hand, bite into apple with glee
use back of hand to wipe fresh & tasty juice away
smile with delight
repeat often
published FarmFolk/CityFolk Newsletter Fall 2006
Few things can compete with the magical delight of a vine ripened, freshing picked cherry tomato bursting with an explosion of flavour as you pop it in your mouth on a warm, late summer day. It is the taste of summer. My patience is being rewarded with the bounty of Isis tomatoes outside my back door. Organic from the seed on up. Further down in the garden, an array of tomatoes ripen away, as I dream of fresh tomato salsa with purple tomatillos, gazpacho, salads, and big fresh slices of tomato with juice dripping down my chin. From the Andes to Market, the tomato is the taste of a late summer day.
The origin of the tomato has been traced back to the Andes Mountains of Peru. The Aztecs were the first people to cultivate, eat and name the tomato - xtomatl. Conquistadors are credited with taking tomato seeds back to Europe in the 16th century, where they quickly found popularity in the Mediterranean countries of Spain, Portugal and Italy. As the tomato traveled north, it was veiled in mystery. The French called it ‘The Apple of Love’, the Germans ‘The Apple of Paradise,’ but the British, while admiring its brilliant red colour, believed it to be poisonous. Brought to North America by colonists as an ornamental plant, it was not until the 1830’s that tomatoes were accepted as food. By 1850, the tomato was an important produce item, they could be found in home gardens and were being produced commercially. A stroll through your farmers market will discover beautiful heirloom varieties of every shape and colour. Black russian, green zebra, golden nugget, sweet million and others offer a delicious tale of genetic diversity and history.
Today, tomatoes are revered for their anti-oxidant qualities. Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, Vitamin A, and also contain Vitamin C. Studies have shown that lycopene, of which the tomato is a rich source, can reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as heart disease and cancer, especially lung & prostate. The lycopene is actually more bio-available in cooked tomatoes. For optimal flavour, do not refrigerate tomatoes. To speed the ripening, place tomatoes next to bananas.
Groovin’ GazpachoThe perfect late summer soup, this soup is served chilled
3 tomatoes, peeled, coarsely chopped
½ medium cucumber, peeled, coarsely chopped
½ medium onion, coarsely chopped
½ medium sweet pepper, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic (to taste)
1 litre tomato juice
¼ cup red wine vinegar
few dashes hot sauce (to taste) or chili pepper minced
½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground (to taste)
1 green onion, chopped for garnish
To peel tomatoes, place tomatoes in pot of boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove and place in cold water. Skins should remove easily.
Place tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic, green pepper, and half tomato juice in blender and blend for ~30 seconds. Pour into large bowl & add remaining ingredients. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with green onions. Serve with crusty bread and a side of good friends. Even better the next day.
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