Seasons/Availability
Available September through January, attractive Lady Apples make colorful edible decorations during the holiday season with their festive red and green perfumed skin.
Current Facts
Apples are safer to eat today. Ingredients in fruit wax and pesticides have been favorably changed and improved to ensure quality and food safety. Apples have long been referred to as Nature's toothbrush! While they don't actually clean the teeth, apples promote dental hygiene. Biting and chewing an apple stimulates the gums. The apple's sweetness promotes the flow of saliva which reduces tooth decay by decreasing the levels of bacteria in the mouth.
Description/Taste
Strikingly beautiful and generously brushed with a flattering red blush, the firm white flesh of the small Lady apple is crisp and relatively juicy. Prized for its attractive appearance, this very decorative winter apple offers a delicious sweet-tart flavor.
Nutritional Value
An apple has no cholesterol and contains pectin, a fiber that fights against cholesterol. Pectin also slows glucose metabolism in diabetics. Apples contain potassium which may reduce the chances of a stroke and boron believed to build bones and to increase mental vitality. Apples offer a small amount of vitamin A and vitamin C and have only a trace of sodium. An average-size apple contains about 80 calories. Unpeeled apples provide the most nutrition. Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowers the chances of cancer. A recent study found that eating nine or ten daily servings of fruits and vegetables, combined with three servings of low-fat dairy products, were effective in lowering blood pressure.
Applications
This little apple darling is mainly for eating fresh out of hand or for decorative use. Add to fresh fruit salad. Perfect size for lunch boxes. Use as attractive edible garnish for most anything. For an unusual treat to delight guests, core apples, being careful not to cut through to the bottom. Insert one or two brown sugar cubes in each apple. Place in a shallow baking dish; bake in a 350-degree oven for 35 minutes. Do not over bake. The apples should be tender, but still hold their shape. Cool slightly and serve. Cinnamon and nutmeg absolutely love this apple. Sliced or cut apples stay white longer if put in a bowl of water with two tablespoons of lemon juice. To store, apples are best kept as cold as possible in the refrigerator and can keep up to six weeks chilled.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Decorating Christmas trees with this apple beauty is a traditional holiday custom in England. A popular subject in literature and legends, an apple is the focus in the Swiss legend of William Tell, an arrested archer who is promised freedom if he can shoot an apple off his son's head. Americans have the pioneer apple farmer, John Chapman, better known as "Johnny Appleseed." He became famous in the 1800's when he distributed apple seeds and trees to settlers in Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. Legend claims he traveled barefoot in old torn clothes and wore a tin pot for a hat.
Geography/History
A very old variety, the petite Lady apple is said to have been enjoyed by the early Romans. Lady apples were also known as Api apples and are thought to be one of the oldest varieties of apples in existence. This festive apple makes a lovely Christmas tree decoration for the holidays.
Featured Recipes
Recipes that include Lady Apples. One
is easiest, three is harder.
