Freyberg Apples
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Freyberg apples are a small to medium-sized varietal, averaging 8 to 9 centimeters in diameter, and have a round to conic shape with flat shoulders, a broad center, and a tapered, narrow base. The variety may grow larger than average in some orchards, depending on growing conditions, and are variable in appearance. The stem is also thick, brown, and woody, connected into a narrow, deep cavity, and the calyx at the bottom of the fruit is slightly open. The apple’s skin is thin, smooth, and taut, often covered in patches of textured, rough russet around the stem, a light bloom across the entire surface, and brown lenticels. Freyberg apples ripen from yellow-green to golden yellow, and a faint dull orange to red-blush may develop on sun-exposed surfaces. Underneath the skin, the white, pale green to ivory flesh is fine-grained, aqueous, and light with a soft, crisp consistency. The flesh also encases a moderately sized central core filled with plump, brown seeds that are inedible and should be discarded. Freyberg apples are edible raw or cooked and have a sweet, refreshing flavor reminiscent of Golden Delicious apples, one of its parent varieties. The variety is known for its complex taste and is said to bear subtle honeyed caramel notes along with anise, pear, banana, and cardamom nuances. The anise flavor intensifies when the apples are left on the tree until maturity, and the overall taste may also become pronounced after a brief storage period.
Seasons/Availability
Freyberg apples are harvested in the late fall and can be stored through the winter.
Current Facts
Freyberg apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are a New Zealand variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. The late-season apples were developed in the early 20th century and were released as a home garden cultivar for their complex flavoring. The story of Freyberg apples begins with famous apple breeder James Hutton Kidd, and the variety was examined and assessed over time by New Zealand scientists, eventually selected as a specialty cultivar. Freyberg apples grow on small trees reaching 2 to 3 meters in height, and growers favor the variety for its productive nature and distinct flavor. Despite their unusual taste, Freyberg apples never achieved widespread commercial success due to the similarities to their parent variety, Golden Delicious. Breeders felt that Freyberg apples would detract from the retail sale of Golden Delicious and did not want to split the market. Freyberg apples are also susceptible to fireblight and scab and have an open calyx tube connected to the core that often leads to a moldy apple core, an unfavorable trait in commercial fruits. In the modern day, Freyberg apples are a specialty apple primarily grown in New Zealand. The apples are utilized for fresh eating and some cooked culinary dishes and are seasonally sold as a novelty in select markets and private orchards. It is also important to note that Freyberg apples are sometimes written as Freyburg, but this spelling is considered incorrect.
Nutritional Value
Freyberg apples have not been studied for their nutritional properties. Like other apples, the cultivar may be a source of potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, fiber to regulate the digestive tract, and vitamin C to boost the immune system. The variety also provides small amounts of copper to develop connective tissues, magnesium to control optimal nerve functioning, calcium to build strong bones and teeth, vitamin E to reduce inflammation, and other nutrients, including iron, vitamin K, manganese, boron, and zinc.
Applications
Freyberg apples have a sweet, fruity, and spice-filled flavor suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The variety is typically consumed out of hand and is savored for its complex flavors. Freyberg apples develop a more robust taste when left on the tree for extended periods, and the flavor may also concentrate in a storage period. The apples can be eaten with or without the skin, depending on preference, and are sliced as a snack, chopped into salads, used as a fresh topping over parfaits, grain bowls, and fruit medleys, or served on cheese platters with dried fruits and nuts. Freyberg apples can also be layered into cold sandwiches and grilled cheeses, blended into smoothies, pressed into juice, or used to flavor various cider blends. In addition to fresh preparations, Freyberg apples are popularly simmered into sauces as their pear and anise flavor complements savory ingredients. The apple sauce can be served as a side dish with roasted meats, added to muffins and cakes, or used in thick, gravy-like sauces for short ribs. Freyberg apples can also be baked into pies, crumbles, crisps, tarte tatin, doughnuts, brioche rolls, and fritters. Freyberg apples pair well with spices such as ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon, nuts including pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds, other fruits such as blackberries, blueberries, pineapple, grapes, and stone fruit, and meats including pork, beef, poultry, and turkey. Whole, unwashed Freyberg apples will keep for several weeks to a few months when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place, mainly in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Freyberg apples were named in honor of Lord Bernard Freyberg. Bernard Freyberg was an English-born man who immigrated to New Zealand with his parents at a young age. Freyberg spent his youth and early adult years in education, athletics, and travel, but in 1914, he joined the Royal Naval Division’s Hood Brigade in England at the beginning of World War I. During his time in the war, Freyberg was awarded numerous honors for his contributions and acts of courage. In 1937, Freyberg was forced to retire after a heart condition was discovered, but he joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during World War II, leading the 2nd New Zealand Division. After the wars, Freyberg became well-known for serving as the Governor-General of New Zealand from 1946 to 1952. Freyberg remained politically active until his passing in 1963, and before his death, he approved the request to name James Hutton Kidd’s apple after himself, giving life to the Freyberg apple. It is said Freyberg was chosen for this recognition for his contributions to England and New Zealand, a life similar to the English-born and New Zealand-raised apple breeder James Hutton Kidd.
Geography/History
Freyberg apples are native to New Zealand and were developed by famed breeder James Hutton Kidd in 1934. James Hutton Kidd or J.H. Kidd, often known simply as Hutton, was an apple breeder who began his career in 1906 when he moved to Greytown and purchased a five-acre orchard. Kidd later expanded his orchard to over twenty acres and spent his life breeding new apple varieties for commercial and home gardens. Kidd sought to take the aesthetically beautiful appearance of American apples and combine them with the complex flavoring of English apples. Kidd’s first commercial release occurred in 1912 from a cross between Cox’s Orange Pippin and Delicious apples. The variety was initially named Delco and was later changed to Kidd’s Orange Red. Later, in 1934, Kidd crossed Golden Delicious with Cox’s Orange Pippin to create the apple that would later be known as Freyberg. Kidd passed away before he could release the new variety in 1945, and the remaining apple seedlings from his orchards were given to the New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The seedlings were planted at the Research Station at Mt. Albert in Auckland and the Appleby Research Orchard in Nelson and were observed for several years. A seedling known as N21 was eventually selected as a favorable home garden cultivar and was released under the name Freyberg in 1959. Today, Freyberg apples are cultivated in New Zealand as a specialty apple and are somewhat challenging to find as they are only sold through select growers in fresh markets.
