All About Virginian Apples

Even Thomas Jefferson Loved Apples

By Christine Stoddard
QuailBellMagazine.com

Something that wards off doctor visits has to be good. Something that helped incite the Trojan War and eventually inspired Wishbone to dress up as Odysseus can't be bad, either. And what would art and literature professors talk about if Adam had never eaten from the Tree of Knowledge? We owe apples big-time just for being their delicious and nutritious selves. Well, the best way to honor them is to make a feast of them. You can do that right in Virginia because apples are all around. They're part of the state's heritage (read on, fledglings, read on.)

Within an hour of Richmond, there are orchards, farmers' markets, bakeries, and restaurants whose work it is to make the tastiest apples convenient and reasonably priced. Here's just a small selection:

ORCHARDS

Carter Mountain Orchard (Charlottesville)
Pick your own apples at this “family tradition” of a farm. Carter Mountain clearly lists their fruit availability chart on their website, so you know when to get your favorite varieties (including not only apples, but also peaches, nectarines, and pumpkins). Depending upon the month, Carter Mountain offers all sorts of apples: Lodi, Ginger Gold, Gala, Virginia Gold, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Jonathan, Jonagold, Granny Smith, Fuji, and more. Apart from the orchard, be sure to enjoy their bakery, country store, and wine shop. Don't miss their Apple Harvest Festival, either. CarterMountainOrchard.com


Vintage Virginia Apples (North Garden)
Largely an heirloom and vintage orchard, Vintage Virginia Apples offers up to 250 varieties of apples. These include, for example, the delightful Razor Russet, the Swiss Gourmet Arlet, and the Roxbury Russet, the oldest apple variety bred in the United States. Vintage Virginia also sell apple trees you can transplant to your own backyard—including Thomas Jefferson's Father Abraham. They even operate the region's premiere modern cider brewery, with five varieties, such as Jupiter's Legacy, The Royal Pippin, and The Ragged Mountain. Their Fall Festival, which features numerous vendors and a pie competition, takes place the first weekend of November. VintageVirginiaApples.com

FARMERS' MARKETS

17th Street Farmers' Market (Richmond)
This historic farmers' market has existed in the Shockoe Bottom neighborhood since 1737, making it one of the oldest public markets in the United Stats. 17thStreetFarmersMarket.com

Farm to Family (Richmond)
This mobile food distribution business literally brings fresh, locally-grown food right to your doorstep, thanks to their quirky delivery bus.More recently, they opened a year-round indoor farmers' market on Mechanicsville Turnpike. FarmtoFamilyOnline.com

South of the James Market
This European style market located in the Forest Hill neighborhood specializes in “quality local, home-made, home-grown, and hand-made products.” SOJMarket.com

The Tricycle Gardens Farm Stand (Richmond)
Every Tuesday and Thursday, this urban farm sells its own fruits and vegetables on Jefferson Avenue. Occasionally Tricycle Gardens invites other vendors to participate, such as Lamplighter Roasting Co. and Huguenot Hundred Acres. TricycleGardens.org

BAKERIES & RESTAURANTS

Farmer Johnson's Country Kitchen (Mechanicsville)
This family-owned restaurant prides itself on preparing Southern classics using ingredients mostly from local farms. Their specials vary from season to season, hinging upon what's currently available. You can bet that means plenty of hearty apple options, like pie and cobbler, in the fall. Farmer Johnson's purchases its apples from Agriberry, a local, all-natural farm in Studley. FarmerJohnsons.com

Jean-Jacques Bakery & Café (Richmond)
This French-inspired bakery sells apple turnovers, apple crisps, apple strudel, apple danishes, and apple logs year-round. During apple season, they buy their apples from local farmers' markets. JeanJacquesBakery.com

Once you've obtained your apples, you've got to do something with them (unless of course someone else sweated for you at a bakery or restaurant). Depending on the variety of apple, you could crunch on them plain, but others demand that you get a little creative in the kitchen. 

Here are a few local recipes your grandmother may not have told you about:

Apple Honey Shake
(Courtesy of Carter Mountain Orchard)

Ingredients:
1 quart chilled apple juice or cider
2 cups chilled orange juice
¼ cup honey
 2 tsp. grated orange rind
 Mint sprig (optional)

Combine all ingredients and shake to blend. Pour generously over ice in tall glasses. Garnish with mint sprig. Makes 6 servings.

Orange Poached Apple
 (Courtesy of the Virginia State Apple Board)

Ingredients:
6 small Winesap apples
1 stick cinnamon
1 ½ cups orange juice
2 tsp. Grated orange peel
½ cup cream sherry

Core apples from bottom, leaving side of apples unpierced; peel apples. In 2 quart saucepot, combine orange juice, sherry and cinnamon. Heat to boil. Reduce heat to simmer, add apples and cook, covered, 30 to 40 minutes or until apples are tender. (Rotate apples occasionally to cook evenly.) With slotted spoon, transfer apples to serving dish, garnish with orange peel and serve. Makes 6 servings.

Red Cabbage Apple Slaw
(Courtesy of Richmond Food Collective)

Ingredients:
1 small red cabbage
2 medium tart apples (like Granny Smith)
2 large carrots
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup Greek yogurt
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp celery seed
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Core the cabbage and cut into eighths. Chop the quarters into ¼" slices. Grate the apple in a food processor or by hand. Repeat for carrots. Whisk all the other ingredients together well and then combine with the cabbage, apples and carrots.