Eve® Apples
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Eve® apples are a medium to large varietal and have a round, oval, to conical shape with broad, blocky shoulders tapering slightly to a flat, narrow base. The skin is smooth, taut, and glossy, showcasing prominent yellow lenticels across the surface. The skin also ripens from green to golden yellow and is almost entirely covered in a dark red to crimson blush. The blush can be translucent to opaque, depending on sun exposure, and may feature distinct streaking. Underneath the surface, the white to ivory flesh is firm, dense, and aqueous with a crunchy, succulent consistency. The flesh also encases a central fibrous core filled with tiny black-brown seeds that are inedible and should be discarded. Eve® apples can be consumed raw and have a balanced, refreshingly sweet, tart, and acidic taste with tangy nuances of citrus and grapes.
Seasons/Availability
Eve® apples are available year-round, with a peak season from June through November in the Southern Hemisphere.
Current Facts
Eve® apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are a New Zealand variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. The late-season apples were discovered as a chance seedling naturally growing in an orchard in Nelson, New Zealand, and were selected as a commercial cultivar for their balanced taste and dense, crisp, and juicy flesh. Eve® apples are commercially produced but are primarily sold in the Southern Hemisphere, mainly in Australia and New Zealand. The apples are marketed as the “perfect eating apple” and are promoted as a versatile cultivar favored for fresh eating and cooked preparations. Eve® apples are a popular variety well-known in New Zealand, but the apples are less known in the Northern Hemisphere.
Nutritional Value
Eve® apples have not been extensively studied for their nutritional properties. Like other bi-colored apples, the variety contains anthocyanins, pigmented compounds with antioxidant-like properties to protect the cells against the damage caused by free radicals. Eve® apples also provide vitamin E to reduce inflammation, vitamin C to boost the immune system, fiber to regulate the digestive tract, potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, vitamin K to assist in faster wound healing, and other nutrients, including manganese, calcium, vitamin A, zinc, copper, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Applications
Eve® apples have a balanced, sweet, and tangy taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The apples are popularly consumed straight out of hand and are appreciated for their crunchy, juicy flesh. The flesh is slow to oxidize, allowing it to be used in various raw dishes without turning brown. Eve® apples can be sliced and tossed into salads, often used in Waldorf salads, chopped into salsa, minced and mixed into tartar, layered in grilled cheeses, paninis, and cold sandwiches for added crunch, or served with dips such as caramel or yogurt. Try adding sliced Eve® apples to toast, cutting onto crostini as an appetizer, or adding the fruits as a snack to on-the-go lunches. The fruits can also be served on charcuterie boards as a fresh addition or as a topping over parfaits, granola, porridge, or waffles. In New Zealand, Eve® apples are pressed into juice and sold in commercial markets. The packaged juice does not require any additional sugar, and the juice has a refreshing taste due to its tangy undertones. The juice was also released to markets in Malaysia. Beyond fresh preparations, Eve® apples hold their shape when cooked and are commonly baked into onion tarts, puddings, applesauce, and soups. The apples can also be incorporated into bread, muffins, cakes, pies, and dumplings or cored, stuffed with nuts and spices, wrapped in pastry, and baked whole as a dessert. Eve® apples pair well with nuts such as almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, and walnuts, maple syrup, vanilla, bourbon, balsamic, heavy cream, spices including cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg, and fruits such as grapes, melons, berries, and pineapples. Whole, unwashed Eve® apples will keep for several weeks to months when stored in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Eve® apples are known for their bright red skin and white flesh that is slow to oxidize and turn brown, earning them the nickname of the “Snow White apple.” Snow White is a popular fairytale derived from a German folk tale collection known as Grimm’s Fairy Tales. The collection of tales was published in 1812 by the Brothers Grimm, and Snow White is rumored to have been loosely based on the life of a German countess known as Margaretha von Waldeck. As the fairytale has become famous worldwide, Snow White has been adapted into a character in several films. In the movies, Snow White is often depicted as having porcelain-like, pale skin, and crimson lips, characteristics shared with Eve® apples. In New Zealand, Eve® apples are often promoted in commercial markets with the slogan “Prepare to be Enchanted,” a marketing nod to the classic fairytale.
Geography/History
Eve® apples are native to New Zealand and were found as a sport in the early 21st century. The variety was discovered in the orchard of David Easton in Nelson, New Zealand, and was thought to be a sport of Braeburn apples. After their discovery, the seedling was determined to be a new possible commercial cultivar and was initially sold in New Zealand and exported as a sport of Braeburn apples. Eve® apples were selected by the Heartland Fruit company for commercial production and were released to markets in the early 2000s. The Heartland Fruit Company is a consortium established by four apple growers in 1993: David Easton, Michael Thompson, Neil McCliskie, and Richard Hoddy. The growers were centralized in Nelson, New Zealand, and eventually founded Luv’ya in 2002, a brand that promotes several commercial apples, including Eve® apples, Pink Lady, Smitten, and Ambrosia. Eve® apples were trademarked in 1997 and became an official Luv’ya branded apple in 2003. Today, Eve® apples are grown in cool, mountainous regions with ample sunlight and well-drained soil, which provide the ideal climate for the fruits to develop a crisp consistency and complex taste. Eve® apples are cultivated in New Zealand and Australia, especially in the Huron Valley and Barlow, and are promoted by Luv’ya in New Zealand and Montague in Australia. When in season, Eve® apples are sold through select grocers and distributors.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Eve® Apples. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Gimme Some Oven |
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My Favorite Apple Spinach Salad |
| Gimme Some Oven |
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Fuji Apple Chicken Salad |
| The Diary of a Real Housewife |
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Apple Pecan Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad |
