Lady Apple
The Lady Apple has one of the longest histories of any fruit variety, going back to the Seventeenth-century orchards of Louis XIII and possibly beyond that to ancient Rome. The Lady Apple...also know as Lady Sweet, Christmas Apple and Pomme d'Api.
You might wonder if an apple this small could be satisfying. In fact, the intense flavor-a sunny sweetness like that of dried fruit, with a hint of citrus-makes up for there being few bites. This variety is unusual in that a good deal of it’s flavor and aroma is concentrated in the smooth skin.
Harmony Orchards is one of the few if not the only growers bringing organic Lady Apples into the market place. We are curious growers--always looking for niche apples that we can preserve for the market place. A perfect micro climate exists at the end of the Yakima Valley where we farm. The cooler climate is conducive to giving the Lady Apple a rosy cheek, and we color pick this variety over several weeks allowing for maximum exposure to sunlight.
Aside from its value as a dessert fruit, Lady Apples have been a traditional choice at Christmas in centerpieces, garlands and wreaths. In New England the apples were valued for cider. We recently started experimenting with this apple in baked goods-quite successfully with the help of an apple corer.
