We're taste-testing some fantastic heirloom apples—all grown right here in Michigan! Come join us at our Westgate Branch, where we will be exploring a diverse array of sweet, sour, crisp, soft, gnarly, delicious, and straight-up weird apple varieties!
Farmers once grew thousands of varieties of apples. In modern times, most of these old heirloom varieties are extremely rare, and are now grown by only a small handful of farms. Here are some of the heirloom varieties that we expect to sample:
[note: varieties sampled may be subject to change]
Cox’s Orange Pippin:
Origin: 1830, in England. A highly regarded desert apple, the Cox is best eaten or used for cider. Generally on the small side, it is complex in flavor and sweet. Not well suited for cooking or baking
Esopus Spitzenburg:
Origin: before 1790, in New York. Like many russetted apples, the Spitzenburg is crisp and sweet, with a vaguely pear-like flavor. Reputed to be Thomas Jefferson’s favorite apple
Northern Spy:
Origin: 1800’s, in New York. Probably the best pie apple ever. A great combination of sweet and acidic, the Northern Spy is highly sought-after by bakers in-the-know
Calville Blanc d’hiver:
Origin: 1700’s, in France. An excellent baking apple, the Calville holds up well in the oven, and is a satisfying mix of crisp and tart. The Calville Blanc is unusually high in vitamin C
This event is suitable for all ages.