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A review by carroq
Apples of Uncommon Character: 123 Heirlooms, Modern Classics, & Little-Known Wonders by Rowan Jacobsen
4.0
This is a good book to read if you are interested in heirloom apples. The introduction provides a brief history of apple culture and how it spread in the U.S. The book itself is broken into six separate sections: summer apples (ones that ripen early), dessert apples (good to eat out of hand), bakers and saucers, keepers, cider fruit, and oddballs (don't fit in the other categories). It ends with a diverse collection of recipes.
Each of the 142 entries provides the common name of the apple, any aliases, the origin, appearance, flavor, texture, season that it is available, use, and region where it can be found. There is usually some background on the apple itself as well. The anecdotes that Rowan Jacobsen uses can be entertaining, and every once in a while he will slip in a cultural reference. One point against him here is that his biases can show through (particularly against Red Delicious).
After reading this book, I am inspired to find out what varieties are being grown locally. Jacobsen tends to focus on the varieties that are available in the north eastern U.S., though he does present apples found throughout the U.S., western Europe, and a few other areas.
Each of the 142 entries provides the common name of the apple, any aliases, the origin, appearance, flavor, texture, season that it is available, use, and region where it can be found. There is usually some background on the apple itself as well. The anecdotes that Rowan Jacobsen uses can be entertaining, and every once in a while he will slip in a cultural reference. One point against him here is that his biases can show through (particularly against Red Delicious).
After reading this book, I am inspired to find out what varieties are being grown locally. Jacobsen tends to focus on the varieties that are available in the north eastern U.S., though he does present apples found throughout the U.S., western Europe, and a few other areas.