Mollie's Delicious Apples

Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
This item was last sold on : 09/13/24

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Description/Taste

Mollie’s Delicious apples are medium to large, conical fruits, averaging 7 to 10 centimeters in diameter. The skin is smooth, thin, firm, and ribbed with a yellow-green base, covered in pink-red striping and blush. There are also light tan spots or lenticels found across the surface, and the top of the fruit bears a deep stem cavity. Underneath the skin, the flesh is pale yellow to white and has a crisp, granular, and aqueous consistency, encasing a fibrous core filled with small, black-brown seeds. Mollie’s Delicious apples are aromatic with a sweet-tart and subtly acidic flavor.

Seasons/Availability

Mollie’s Delicious apples are available in the late summer through fall.

Current Facts

Mollie’s Delicious apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are a late summer variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. The bi-colored fruits were created at Rutgers University from multiple crosses between golden delicious, red gravenstein, edgewood, and close apples. Despite their name and coloring, Mollie’s Delicious apples are not related to red delicious apples and earn their “delicious” name from their golden delicious heritage. Mollie’s Delicious apples were also named after the wife of a former Rutgers student, Mollie Whatley, an apple enthusiast who loved the flavor and consistency of the variety. Mollie’s Delicious apples are favored by growers for its early ripening nature, maturing almost a full month before other delicious cultivars, and for the fruit’s extended storage capabilities.

Nutritional Value

Mollie’s Delicious apples are a good source of fiber, which helps regulate digestion and promotes cardiovascular health. The apples also contain vitamin C, an antioxidant to strengthen the immune system, and provide some potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and iron.

Applications

Mollie’s Delicious apples are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as baking or stewing. When fresh, the fruits have a soft, crisp bite that can be consumed straight, out-of-hand, or it can be sliced and served with cheeses and dips. The apples can also be blended into applesauce, chopped into fruit bowls, or sliced and tossed into green salads. In addition to raw applications, Mollie’s Delicious apples can be baked into pies, muffins, and tarts, cooked into jams and jellies, or stuffed and baked as a dessert. The apples can also be cooked and canned for extended use. Mollie’s Delicious apples pair well with cheeses such as cheddar, brie, camembert, and gruyere, fruits such as blueberries, mangoes, pear, and melons, cinnamon, vanilla, brown sugar, and nuts such as pecans, walnuts, and almonds. Whole fruits will keep 2-4 months when stored in the refrigerator.

Ethnic/Cultural Info

In 1887, the United States Department of Agriculture implemented the Agricultural Experiment Stations Act, which established new research centers across the country. These centers were constructed to promote further exploration in horticultural science and encourage continued innovation among the agricultural community. The New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, NJAES, was created as a part of Rutgers State University in 1908 and was the site where Mollie’s Delicious apples were first created. In the modern-day, NJAES is one of the few remaining stations with an apple breeding program, still developing and introducing new varieties to the market. The station has also created new educational curriculums to teach youth in both urban and rural communities on the importance of growing clean, sustainable food.

Geography/History

Mollie’s Delicious apples were developed by G.W. Schneider at Rutgers University’s New Jersey Agricultural Experimentation Station in 1948. The variety was studied and tested for over ten years and was eventually released to the market in 1966. Mollie’s Delicious apples are a preferred variety for climates with mild winters, specifically recommend for Southern United States locations such as Texas and Southern California, and can be found through local farmer’s markets. The Mollie’s Delicious apples featured in the photograph above were grown by See Canyon Fruit Ranch, which is a family-owned farm located in San Luis Obispo, California.