Winter Banana Apple
Winter Banana apples are an heirloom variety - interesting flavors with an old-fashioned sort of beauty
Winter Banana Apples are pale yellow with faint pink blush. The flavor is a nice combination of sweet and tart, with a definite banana aroma and very dense & crisp texture.
Selection Information
Usage: Winter banana apples can be eaten out of hand, but their dense texture makes for a better eating experience when sliced - pairing with a cheese would be an excellent choice. The tart-sweet flavor of this apple also makes it an excellent cooking apple.
Selection & Storage: Good-quality Winter Banana apples will be firm with smooth, clean skin and have good color for the variety - which is a pale yellow with hints of pink blush. Test the firmness of the apple by holding it in the palm of your hand. (Do not push with your thumb). It should feel solid and heavy, not soft and light.
To store, keep apples as cold as possible in the refrigerator. Apples do not freeze until the temperature drops to 28.5 degrees F.
Avoid: Avoid product with soft or dark spots. Also if the apple skin wrinkles when you rub your thumb across it, the apple has probably been in cold storage too long or has not been kept cool.
Seasonal Information
Winter banana apples are a fairly late maturing variety - mid October in the northern hemisphere.
Winter Banana Apple Nutritional Information
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Apples are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. They're also a good source of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C.
Juicing Information
Winter Banana apples are excellent for juicing - their tart/sweet texture will add character to any juicing mix.
Apple Tips & Trivia
- Winter Bananas originated in 1876 in Cass County, Indiana.
- Rub cut apples with lemon juice to keep slices and wedges creamy white for hours.
- Store apples in a plastic bag in the refrigerator away from strong-odored foods such as cabbage or onions to prevent flavor transfer.
- Apples are the second most important of all fruits sold in the supermarket, ranking next to bananas.
- Tens of thousands of varieties of apples are grown worldwide
- The history of apple consumption dates from Stone Age cultivation in areas we now know as Austria and Switzerland.
- In ancient Greece, tossing an apple to a girl was a traditional proposal of marriage; catching it was acceptance
- Folk hero Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman) did indeed spread the cultivation of apples in the United States. He knew enough about apples, however, so that he did not distribute seeds, because apples do not grow true from seeds. Instead, he established nurseries in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
- Three medium-sized apples weigh approximately one pound.
- One pound of apples, cored and sliced, measures about 4 1/2 cups.
- Purchase about 2 pounds of whole apples for a 9-inch pie.
- One large apple, cored and processed through a food grinder or processor, makes about 1 cup of ground apple.
Suggested Reading About Apples on Amazon.com:
- The Best Apples to Buy and Grow
- The New Book of Apples: The Definitive Guide to Over 2,000 Varieties
- Apples
- How apples are grown, stored, and used
- The Apple Orchard Cookbook
