Ananas Reinette Apple
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Ananas Reinette apples are a small to medium-sized varietal, averaging 5 to 6 centimeters in diameter, and have a conical to ellipsoidal shape, narrowing slightly at the base. The apples vary from uniform to lopsided and feature a yellow-green coloring covered in russeted brown lenticels. These patches of russet give the smooth skin a textured, light sandy feel, and as the apples mature, their color deepens into a golden hue, with a layer of wax coating the surface. Ananas Reinette apples also sometimes display vertical ribbing and have semi-thick skin, contributing to a chewy mouthfeel. The white-green flesh is fine-grained, aqueous, and crisp with a firm, dense consistency, encasing a small central core filled with brown, oval seeds. When opened, Ananas Reinette apples release a sweet, perfumed fragrance and contain a sharp, sweet-tart flavor combined with citrus, pear, and honey-like nuances. As the apples are left to mature and are harvested and kept in cold storage, they will develop a sweet and sour taste with flavor notes reminiscent of pineapple, leaving a pleasant acidity on the palate.
Seasons/Availability
Ananas Reinette apples are available in the mid-fall through early winter.
Current Facts
Ananas Reinette apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are a European heirloom variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. The crisp fruits are a mid to late-season cultivar valued for their complex flavoring, bright coloring, and firm flesh. The cultivar was once one of the most popular home garden apples in Germany during the 19th century and was also widely grown across Central Europe, attaining several name variations, including Pineapple Rennet, Renetta Ananas, Ananas Renette, Renet d’Ananas, and others. Ananas Reinette apples are highly favored for their tree’s compact growth habit, reaching up to three meters in height, hardiness, and easy-to-grow nature. Presently, Ananas Reinette apples are a rare variety, challenging to find outside of heritage orchards in England and Central Europe. The apples are regarded mainly as a dessert variety, meaning their flavor is showcased when consumed fresh, but the dense, crisp nature of the apples also makes them suitable for various baked preparations and juices.
Nutritional Value
Ananas Reinette apples are a source of potassium to balance fluid levels within the body and vitamin C to strengthen the immune system. The apples also contain fiber to regulate the digestive tract, vitamin K to assist in faster wound healing, copper to develop connective tissues, and other amounts of B vitamins, manganese, boron, calcium, and phosphorus.
Applications
Ananas Reinette apples have a sweet and tangy flavoring showcased when consumed straight, out of hand as a snack or dessert. The apple’s unique taste can be incorporated into salads, or the flesh can be sliced and served on toast with cheese, quartered and displayed on charcuterie boards, or layered into sandwiches. Ananas Reinette apples also have firm flesh, allowing the fruits to be simmered into sauces or incorporated into pies, tarts, crumbles, and other baked goods. In Germany, the variety is used in traditional apple cakes and topped with a cream cheese frosting. Beyond baking, Ananas Reinette apples can also be blended into smoothies, pressed into juice, or used as a base flavoring for specialty ciders. Ananas Reinette apples pair well with cheeses such as goat, gouda, brie, and gorgonzola, spices including cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, vanilla, caramel, cream, and chocolate. Whole, unwashed Ananas Reinette apples have extended storage properties and will keep for several weeks when stored in a cool location. In commercial cold storage, the variety can keep for 2 to 3 months.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
There are several theories as to how the Ananas Reinette apple acquired its name. In French, Ananas translates to mean “pineapple.” During the 16th century, pineapples were brought from South America to Europe and were regarded as a luxurious, exotic fruit consumed by the nobility. Word of the exclusive fruit spread across Europe, spurring a movement to produce locally grown luxury fruits to rival the popularity of the pineapple. Since England was known for apple cultivation, breeders began developing apples that contained complex, sweet, and tart flavorings reminiscent of the pineapple. Other European apple growers followed suit, incorporating pineapple into the name of several heirloom apple varieties as a marketing strategy to increase apple sales. In the modern-day, most apple enthusiasts attribute the pineapple moniker to its sharp, sweet, and aromatic flavor, said to have a pineapple-like taste. The term reinette has historically been used by pomologists to describe apple varieties with russeting. Another widely accepted theory among experts traces reinette to the Latin word renatus, meaning “rebirth.” This term was used to describe grafted apples.
Geography/History
Ananas Reinette apples are believed to be native to The Netherlands and are an heirloom variety with an unknown date of origin and parentage. The first written documentation of the cultivar was recorded in 1826 by German pomologist August Friedrich Adrian Diel, commonly known as Adrian Diel or Doctor Diel. Experts believe Diel acquired the variety from other pomologists who sourced the apples from The Netherlands. Ananas Reinette apples were planted in the Rhineland region of Germany, and by the mid-nineteenth century, the variety became a favored German home garden cultivar. In the 1850s and 1860s, the variety was introduced to other regions of Europe, including England and Belgium, and in 1868 Ananas Reinette apples were being offered in France through nurseryman André Leroy d’Angers. Ananas Reinette apples continued to be mentioned in nursery catalogs across France, Switzerland, Germany, and Central and Northern European countries in the early to mid-1900s. Despite its unusual flavoring and textured golden surface, the heirloom variety never achieved commercial success in the New World and has remained a specialty home garden variety in Europe. Today Ananas Reinette apples can be found through select growers and distributors in Europe, the United Kingdom, and on a small scale in the United States. The variety is also grown as a novel home garden cultivar among apple enthusiasts.
Recipe Ideas
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Chicken, Apple, & Goat Cheese Salad |
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Rustic Apple & Pear Galette |
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Easy Apple Pear Crisp |
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Apple Goat Cheese Crostini |
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