Apple of the Week: Gravenstein

Gravenstein!!  What a big, strong name for an apple.  I was looking forward to researching this one the most.  I'll always have a special place in my heart for this apple.  At a previous job in Calgary a few years ago, a few boxes of Gravenstein apples made it to the farmer's market, from a farmer in BC who had a couple of these trees.  I had never heard of them before and knew nothing about them-- until I noticed certain customers exclaiming over them and being so excited, that I had to ask.  It seemed like the Gravenstein lovers all had one thing in common- they were Nova Scotians!  I asked a lady what they were best for, and she told me they make THE BEST pies.  Eager to engage with this apple, I went home and whipped up an apple pie.  40 minutes later, I opened the oven to a strange discovery -- the oven was broken!  I took out my pie, and determined to taste this "best pie apple", decided to bake the pie in the BBQ instead.  I got it all warmed up and set at the correct temperature, returning 10 minutes later to turn down the temperature (as my pastry recipe suggests), and the lack of propane had done it for me already!  So, I never got to eat my Gravenstein pie, and of course have never gotten around to making another.  However, I did make a KILLER applesauce this fall with these apples -- it has such a great, complex, balanced flavour, and an amazing texture-- not too chunky, not too mushy, just right.

The Gravenstein lovers were out in hordes at the beginning of the season-- Most like them very, very fresh, when they are still nice and crispy.  As I bite into one right now, the apple still has a nice crunch, and the flesh has softened, but is still good, not mealy.  An apple I would likely use for cooking rather than fresh eating, but still dual-purpose for sure.

Says Wikipedia:
Gravenstein (Danish: Gråsten-Æble) is a variety of apple native to Gråsten in South Jutland, Denmark. The variety was discovered in 1669 as a chance seedling.

Gravenstein flowers

The Gravenstein apple has a tart flavor. It is picked in July and August and is heavily used as a cooking apple, especially for apple sauce and apple cider. It does not keep well, so it is available only in season. In addition, their short stems and variable ripening times make harvesting and selling difficult. The skin is a delicately waxy yellow-green with crimson spots and reddish lines, but the apple may also occur in a classically red variation. The flesh is juicy, finely grained, and light yellow.

Here's an interesting article about the revival of this heritage apple:
http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jul/12/food/la-fo-gravenstein-20110811