Lucy™ Rose Apples
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
This item was last sold on : 01/11/25
Description/Taste
Lucy™ Rose apples are a medium to large varietal, averaging 7 to 9 centimeters in diameter, and have a conical appearance with broad flat shoulders and slight ribbing, tapering to a narrow base. The apple's skin is semi-thin, smooth, taut, and glossy, showcasing pronounced lenticels across the surface. The skin has a bright yellow-green base hue, almost completely enveloped in a dark red, orange-red, to crimson blush. The blush can appear in solid to translucent patches, and each apple will vary in coloring, depending on cultivation and sun exposure. Underneath the surface, the mottled red, pink, and white flesh is firm, dense, and textured with a crisp, lightly aqueous consistency. The flesh will also exhibit varying degrees of red-pink saturation, and the fruits contain a central fibrous core filled with tiny black-brown seeds. Lucy™ Rose apples have balanced sugar and acidity levels, creating a sweet-tart flavor with subtle berry-like nuances.
Seasons/Availability
Lucy™ Rose apples are available in the fall.
Current Facts
Lucy™ Rose apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are a specialty variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. The pigmented apples are a part of a trademarked line of red-fleshed fruits known as Lucy™ apples, grown in Washington and marketed through Chelan Fresh. Lucy™ Rose apples are harvested beginning in October and are a modern apple variety developed for improved appearance and flavor. Historically, varieties of red-fleshed apples have been around in specialty orchards for centuries, but the saturated apples were traditionally flavorless or contained sour and astringent notes. Lucy™ Rose apples were specifically designed through natural breeding techniques to create an apple with a sweet, berry-like flavor and light, crisp, and tangy mouthfeel. The hybrid variety is relatively new, having been released to commercial markets in the early 21st century, and is rapidly increasing in popularity as consumers are being introduced to its colorful nature. Lucy™ Rose apples are sold as a dual-purpose variety, consumed as a fresh eating or cooking apple.
Nutritional Value
Lucy™ Rose apples are a source of fiber to regulate the digestive tract, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system and boost collagen production, and vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning. The apples also provide copper to develop connective tissues, vitamin E to reduce inflammation, and other nutrients, including magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, and zinc. The apple's red flesh contains anthocyanins, colored pigments that have antioxidant-like properties to protect the cells against the damage caused by free radicals.
Applications
Lucy™ Rose apples have a sweet taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The apples can be consumed straight out of hand, showcasing the unique marbled flesh coloring, and they are a popular addition to charcuterie boards or dipping into caramel, chocolate, and other dips. Lucy™ Rose apples can also be sliced and topped over toast, layered into sandwiches, used as a fresh garnish over pancakes and waffles, or shredded into slaws. Try chopping Lucy™ Rose apples into salads or thinly slicing and using them as a chip replacement in a variation of nachos. In addition to fresh preparations, Lucy™ Rose apples hold their shape well and can be utilized in baked preparations to add vibrant coloring. The apples can be sliced and layered into tarts, pies, and galettes or topped over frosted cakes, cornbread, and other pastries. Lucy™ Rose apples can also be simmered into applesauce, cooked into jellies and jams, or pureed into sauces for roasted meats. The variety's sweet taste complements savory or sweet dishes. Lightly saute the apples, sprinkle with brown sugar or cinnamon, and add to porridge or overnight oats. The apples can also be added to stuffings, casseroles, or grain bowls. Beyond culinary dishes, Lucy™ Rose apples can be pressed into juice, stirred into cocktails, or pieces of the fruit can be dropped into sparkling beverages, lemonade, and fruit punches as a festive garnish. Lucy™ Rose apples pair well with cheeses such as cheddar, Manchego, goat, or parmesan, fruits including citrus, blackberries, pears, pomegranates, and apricots, nuts such as walnuts, almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts, and spices including cinnamon, cloves, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. Unwashed Lucy™ Rose apples will keep for 1 to 3 months when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place such as the refrigerator or storage cellar.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Chelan Fresh partners with passionate growers in Central Washington to cultivate the Lucy™ apple brand, comprised of Lucy™ Rose apples and Lucy™ Glo apples. Many of the family-owned and operated apple orchards in Washington are 4th or 5th-generation growers and a few farms have been cultivating apples for over one hundred years. Central Washington is known for having a climate ideal for apple production. Lucy™ Rose apples must be planted in a region that receives cold nights and warm, sunny days to develop a saturated coloring within the flesh. The orchards are often situated along the foothills of the Cascade Mountain range, in fertile valleys, and along rivers. In some of the orchards, Lucy™ Rose apples are grown along tree-training systems to expose the fruits on the tree to as much sunlight as possible. The soil's nutrient content is also monitored to ensure it is being sustainably used and nurtured for annual production.
Geography/History
Lucy™ Rose apples were developed by Bill Howell in Prosser, Washington, a town approximately two hours south of Wenatchee, Washington's famous apple-growing region. Howell was a plant pathologist, but he was most notably known for spending many years crossing red-fleshed apple varieties with other cultivars to create a red-fleshed apple variety with improved flavor. In the 1990s, he planted Airlie trees, a red-fleshed apple, and several Honeycrisp apple trees, allowing the trees to freely pollinate with one another. This open pollination created several new types of apples, and Howell selected his favorite apples from the cross, planting the first generation of improved red-fleshed apple seeds in 1996. Howell studied the trees for over 13 years before he selected two main apples as new varieties, eventually naming them Howell TC2 and Howell TC3. In 2018, Howell partnered with Chelan Fresh, a marketing company that worked with him to trademark and rename the varieties to Lucy™ Rose apples and Lucy™ Glo apples. The Lucy™ apple brand was established and introduced to the produce industry in the fall of 2018. After their initial release, the variety has increased in production yearly, producing around 6,000 cases in 2019, 15,000 in 2020, and 25,000 cases in 2021 of Lucy™ apples commercially. Today Lucy™ Rose apples are cultivated in Central Washington through select growers in partnership with Chelan Fresh. The variety is a seasonal specialty apple favored for its appearance and taste, and the fruits are grown in limited quantities for sale in markets across the United States. Lucy™ Rose apples are also produced and sold in Europe through select partnerships.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Lucy™ Rose Apples. One
is easiest, three is harder.| The Fresh Market |
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Lucy Rose Apple and Goat Cheese Frosted Cake |
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