It's Gravenstein apple season, which means a lot to those in Northern California, especially those who grew up waiting for these few weeks each year when Gravensteins are harvested. Yet today is the day. Today is the day that even if you don't live in Northern California, you can experience the delight that is Gravenstein apples. From August 14 through August 24, The Fruit Guys are shipping Gravenstein apples all over the country.
An heirloom variety that is tricky to harvest and doesn't store well and that is grown in Sonoma County, where suburban development and the transformation of orchard land into vineyards seems never-ending, the Gravenstein apple is close to extinction as a commercial crop, despite its great flavor and use as both an eating and baking apple.
The Fruit Guys have partnered with Slow Food Russian River to get just-picked Gravenstein apples to consumers nationwide. The Fruit Guys are selling them at farm-direct prices while also donating 17% of the price of each box back to Sonoma County Gravenstein farmers. Cool deal for everyone. I got an early box of two dozen apples. I meant to make an Old-Fashioned Apple Pie with them, but my my visiting family managed to eat them all out-of-hand before I got a chance. Their tart-sweet flavor and wonderfully crisp texture meant that "Mol, what kind of apples are these?" was asked more than once.
Comments
I live in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, and just found out that the old apple tree in the backyard is a Gravenstein! It had a wonderful yield this year, and some (by no means all!) of the apples are overflowing several fruit bowls on the dining room table. I feel honored to have access to such fine heritage apples, and only wish I’d known about them sooner.
You are lucky indeed!
Just came home from a labor day weekend over at Pt. Reyes National Sea Shore. Near the town of Inverness some one had a “gravenstein apples for sale” sign in their drive way. We pulled over and did the self serve thing. A scale was on the little table and a sign $1 a pound. we bought $2 for the drive. Oh, I have never had such a delicious apple. Wish I had bought them all.
Love it! I wish you’d bought them all and brought them over to my house!
Grew up in Napa and had a large gravenstein tree in the back yard. I’ve thought often of going by to see if that tree is still there. Nothing compares in an apple pie. I bought two trees this spring from an heirloom farm in Hood River and am hoping these will compare. Wish growers would go back to growing apples for taste and use rather than looks.
I grew up in Sonoma County and we had 3 huge Gravenstein Apple trees. We made and froze Apple pies, apple crisp and apple sauce. There is no better apple for all three of these. I am spoiled and look forward to the short time of the year you can find them in the stores.