Saltanat Apples

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Description/Taste

Saltanat apples are large, globular fruits that have an ovate to squat shape, attached to thin and fibrous, brown stems. The skin is smooth, firm, and waxy with a yellow-green to orange base, and depending on exposure to the sun, the surface may be covered in bright red blushing and striping. Underneath the thin skin, the flesh is crisp, ivory to pale yellow, dense, and fine-grained, encasing a central core filled with small, brown-black oval seeds. Saltanat apples are juicy and fragrant with a balanced, sweet and sour flavor.

Seasons/Availability

Saltanat apples are harvested in the fall and can be stored through the late winter or early spring.

Current Facts

Saltanat apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are a late-ripening, autumn variety that belongs to the Rosaceae family. Developed at the Kazakh Research Institute of Horticulture and Viticulture, Saltanat apples were selected for their resistance to disease, high yields, and tolerance to cold weather. Saltanat apples are not commercially produced and are sold at fresh markets through small farms in Kazakhstan and in select eastern European countries. The apples are primarily consumed fresh, out-of-hand, but they can also be utilized in a wide variety of cooked applications.

Nutritional Value

Saltanat apples are a good source of vitamins C and E, which are antioxidants that can help boost the immune system and protect the body from external environmental aggressors. The apples also contain calcium, potassium, iron, and manganese.

Applications

Saltanat apples are best suited for raw applications as their tangy, sweet flesh is showcased when consumed fresh, out-of-hand. The fruit can be eaten as a snack, discarding the seeds and core, or it can be sliced and layered on cheese plates, tossed into green salads, chopped into fruit salads, used as a vessel for dips, or layered in sandwiches. Saltanat apples can also be utilized in cooked applications such as baking and are commonly used in tarts, pies, muffins, and bread. In addition to baking, the sweet flavor of the flesh can be served with savory meats and is also suitable for drying. Saltanat apples pair well with other fruits such as cranberries, pears, blackberries, and plums, parsnips, potatoes, cabbage, caramel, honey, vanilla, nuts such as pistachios, almonds, and walnuts, mint, and lemon. The fruits will keep 1-2 months when stored normally in the refrigerator. If stored professionally in maintained facilities, the apples may keep up to six months.

Ethnic/Cultural Info

Saltanat apples are commonly grown in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where many local farmers are cultivating multiple varieties of apples in the foothills and mountainous regions near the city. Many of these farmers have dedicated their lives to sustaining apple diversity, and Kazakhstan is believed by many scientists to be the center of origin for all apple varieties. Before human cultivation began, animals such as bears and horses largely contributed to the initial spread of apple varieties and would seek out the sweet fruits, consuming and expelling the seeds through natural digestion. Today through the preservation of original varieties and development of newer types such as the Saltanat, apple diversity in Almaty can be seen through the many varieties sold through local markets in both fresh and dried form. Almaty was also situated along the northern branch of the Silk Road, and dried apples were a popular snack sold to travelers passing through as they could be stored and carried long distances.

Geography/History

Saltanat apples were created from free pollination of Rene Burchardt seedlings at the Kazakh Research Institute of Horticulture and Viticulture in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Since their creation, the variety is cultivated through small farms and can be found in Central Asia, primarily in Kazakhstan, and in Eastern European countries such as Latvia.