Cinnamon Spice Apples
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Cinnamon Spice apples are a medium-sized variety with a round shape, measuring about 6 to 8 centimeters wide. They are primarily wine-red in color but can have large patches of neon green and faint pink-red steaks throughout. The apples' skin is smooth, shiny, and thin, easily peeled away to reveal a firm, light green flesh. This flesh has a fine-grained texture that’s firm yet tender and succulent. When bitten into, Cinnamon Spice apples offer a crunchy, sweet yet tart taste with subtle hints of cinnamon and a slight spiciness.
Seasons/Availability
Cinnamon Spice apples are harvested in late September and early October in their native region and are available from fall to early winter.
Current Facts
The botanical name for Cinnamon Spice apples is Malus domestica and they are from the Rosaceae family. This variety was discovered during the 1980s in Bolinas, California. Their name was inspired by the fruit's distinct cinnamon taste that resembles the flavor of apple pie. Like many other apple varieties, Cinnamon Spice must be cross-bred with another cultivar in order to bear fruit. The best way to select an appropriate breeding partner is to choose a tree that blooms flowers at the same time. Popular varieties that could qualify include Granny Smith, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Gala, and Pink Lady apples. Primarily recognized as a culinary fruit, Cinnamon Spice apples are also valued for their ornamental qualities as they feature lush foliage and aromatic white flowers.
Nutritional Value
The nutritional value of Cinnamon Spice apples is not widely known. Apples, in general, are a significant source of vitamin C, encouraging iron absorption, immune function, collagen production, bone and teeth health, and preventing free radical damage. This variety supplies fiber to help boost digestion, increase fullness, and improve gut health. They are a source of potassium, which aids in nerve signaling, blood pressure reduction, and muscle contractions, and prevents kidney stones, stroke, and osteoporosis. Apples like the Cinnamon Spice variety contain quercetin, catechin, and chlorogenic acid. These antioxidants possess anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties, may improve mitochondrial health, and can lower blood sugar.
Applications
Cinnamon Spice apples are useful for fresh eating, cooking, and juicing. They may be eaten fresh on their own, used to make caramel apples, or tossed into a waldorf salad, fruit bowl, or smoothie. This variety's cinnamon flavor bodes well with pies, fritters, cakes, crisps, tarts, strudles, and dumplings. When cooked with butter and brown sugar, they create a complimentary topping for waffles, pancakes, pork chops, and oatmeal. Cinnamon Spice apples can be incorporated into ciders, cocktails, mulled wine, apple sauce, jams, soups, and stuffings. They pair well with strawberries, bananas, blueberries, figs, cherries, plums, pears, oranges, limes, cranberries, grapes, chocolate, maple syrup, peanut butter, cheese, pistachios, pecans, celery root, onion, fennel, cabbage, carrots, squash, beets, and sauerkraut. Cinnamon Spice apples can be stored for one to two months in the cool, dry conditions of a refrigerator or basement.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Cinnamon Spice apples are native to California, a state that produces 8.5% of the United States' apples and dedicates over 38,000 acres to their production. One of the state's major regions of apple production is the coastal mountains of the San Francisco Bay, where Cinnamon Spice apples were first cultivated in the town of Bolinas. This was originally home to the Coast Miwok Native Americans. Throughout time, it has been a center for Spanish colonists, gold seekers during the California Gold Rush, and loggers drawn to the surrounding redwood forests. Bolinas eventually shifted its focus to agriculture, leading to the development of numerous ranches and organic farms. Today, roadside farm stands and local produce providers continue to thrive, preserving the city’s spirit of sustainability.
Geography/History
The Cinnamon Spice apple was discovered growing in Bolinas, California in the 1980s and is believed to be a descendant of an English variety known as Laxton's Fortune. At this time, many heirloom varieties had been forgotten but the Cinnamon Spice was one of the first to be offered to the public by the Living Tree Center in Bolinas. This was part of the center's effort to raise awareness of older apple cultivars known for their unique tastes and stronger flavors compared to mass-produced varieties. This tree grows best in the American South and coastal areas with full sun exposure. They can tolerate more heat than most varieties but do not grow in the wild and require cross-pollination to flourish. Cinnamon Spice apples are typically found at farmers' markets or available as trees at orchards and nurseries specializing in antique apple varieties.
