A Taste of Apple History

I never met a fruit I didn’t like. Unfortunately, many of my favorites are the high-sugar content fruits like orchard-fresh apples, plantation-picked pineapple and bananas, juicy grapes and cherries, and many more. Additional favorites include the so-called low carbohydrate fruits such as melons (except watermelons), all fresh berries, apricots, peaches, plums, and citrus. Whether the fruits in question are either high or low in fruit sugars seems to depend upon whose list I look at. Today I had the pleasure of sampling a taste of history; specifically an Arkansas Black Apple. I’d never even heard of this variety. A friend who knows I enjoy apples brought one for me from his dad’s private orchard in Russellville. It was not one bushel, not one bucket or bagful, just one apple. I appreciated his thoughtfulness just the same, though. Its appearance was not as handsome as the photo example, but it certainly was a good apple. Of course I immediately began researching. The Arkansas Black Apple is a special one, a favorite in the south, I read. Maybe so, but I will wager that not many southerners have heard of it. It is classed as a heritage variety, an heirloom in modern times. Mine was not a perfect esthetic specimen of the variety, but did have the notable very dark red to black skin with a nice coat of natural wax. The bloom end was, indeed, almost black. I have read that Arkansas Black was probably a seedling of Winesap discovered in Benton County, Arkansas around 1870. Apparently it is also known as Arkansas Black Twig, another name I’ve never heard. My most favorite apple is the well liked Golden Delicious with its honey sweetness and smooth texture. But, if I ever get the opportunity again, I won’t hesitate to step back in time to the heritage that is the Arkansas Black. -#-