Hubbardston Nonesuch Apples
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Hubbardston Nonesuch apples are a medium to large varietal and have a round, conic, to slightly flattened shape with sloping, curved shoulders tapering to a narrow base. The apple’s stem is dark brown, slender, and woody, connecting to the fruit in a small cavity on top of the ribbed shoulders. The skin showcases a smooth, faintly glossy, yellow-green base, and this coloring is covered in large patches of red-orange blush and russet. The red-orange blush can be opaque, striped, to translucent, and the variety occasionally develops a saturated, bright red coloring when grown in an environment with cold fall nights. The semi-thick skin is also enveloped in lenticels and golden-brown russet, giving the surface a rough, sandy texture. Underneath the skin, the pale yellow to ivory flesh is dense, moderately firm, fine-grained, and aqueous with a crisp consistency. The flesh also encases a small central core filled with tiny black-brown seeds. Hubbardston Nonesuch apples are aromatic and have a complex, sweet, and sprightly flavor with honeyed, subtly fruity, nutty, and spice-filled nuances. As the variety is kept in storage, the flavor will mellow and become mild, less complex, and balanced.
Seasons/Availability
Hubbardston Nonesuch apples are harvested in the mid to late fall and are stored through the winter.
Current Facts
Hubbardston Nonesuch apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are an American variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. The mid to late-season apples are an heirloom cultivar from Massachusetts and were first documented in the early 19th century. Hubbardston Nonesuch apples were once a multi-purpose variety, grown for their use as a fresh eating, cooking, and cider apple. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Hubbardston Nonesuch apples were cultivated in the northeastern United States, and growers valued the cultivar for its prolific nature, requiring thinning to prevent biennial fruit production. The variety is occasionally known under various names, including Nonsuch, Hubbardston, American Blush, John May, Red Winter Nonsuch, American Nonpareil, and Van Fleet apples. In the modern day, Hubbardston Nonesuch apples are a rare variety that has become localized to specialty orchards and home gardens. The cultivar is not commercially grown and is an American novelty appreciated by apple enthusiasts for its flavor and texture.
Nutritional Value
Hubbardston Nonesuch apples have not been studied for their nutritional properties. The heirloom variety, like other apples in general, is a source of vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, fiber to regulate the digestive tract, potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, and calcium to protect bones and teeth. The apples also provide vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, iron to produce the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, copper to develop connective tissues, and other nutrients, including boron, vitamin E, vitamin K, zinc, and magnesium. The apple's pigmented skin contains anthocyanins, natural compounds with antioxidant-like properties that protect the cells against free radical damage.
Applications
Hubbardston Nonesuch apples have a sweet, tangy, and nutty taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The variety is primarily consumed straight out of hand and is appreciated for its complex flavor and crisp, juicy nature. Hubbardston Nonesuch apples were considered a dessert apple in the 19th century, and the fruits were served as a snack or light dessert, often sprinkled with cinnamon or chopped and mixed into fruit bowls. The apples can also be shredded into slaws, stirred into grain bowls, tossed into salads, or used as a fresh topping over breakfast dishes such as oatmeal or porridge. Try serving Hubbardston Nonesuch apples on cheese plates or layering on crostini as an appetizer. The apples are slow to brown and will remain a pleasant color in raw dishes. In addition to fresh preparations, the apples can be simmered into sauces, cooked into jams and jellies, or minced into stuffings for savory recipes. Hubbardston Nonesuch apples can also be baked into tarts, crisps, dumplings, turnovers, doughnuts, or pies. Beyond culinary preparations, the variety was once used in cider blends in the northeastern United States. Hubbardston Nonesuch apples pair well with cheeses such as brie, goat, parmesan, and cheddar, spices including cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger, and nuts such as walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and pecans. Whole, unwashed Hubbardston Nonesuch apples will keep for 1 to 2 months when stored in a cool, dry, and dark location such as a cellar or refrigerator. After an extended period in storage, the fruits may become bland and mealy, so consuming the variety relatively quickly for the best quality is recommended.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Hubbardston Nonesuch apples were named after their site of discovery. The variety was first found in the town of Hubbardston in central Massachusetts in the early 19th century and was named in honor of the town and one of the town’s founders, Thomas Hubbard. Hubbardston Nonesuch apples are also featured in the town seal. Two apples flank either side of an image of the town’s public library on the seal, and Hubbardston Nonesuch is even written around each apple to celebrate the prominence of agriculture within the town. The name Nonesuch is derived from the French term “nonpareil,” meaning “without equal.” This descriptor was used for several apple varieties worldwide and was given as a distinguishing label to entice consumers and growers. Over time, nonpareil transitioned into nonesuch in American markets, and the name was attached to various apples, including Hubbardston.
Geography/History
Hubbardston Nonesuch apples are native to the United States and were discovered in the early 19th century. The exact date of origin is unknown, but the heirloom apples were first thought to have been noticed in the late 1700s in Hubbardston, Massachusetts. Hubbardston Nonesuch apples were officially recorded in 1832, and in 1845, the variety was highly rated in the Magazine of Horticulture, especially noted as a favored apple in Boston. Throughout the 19th century, Hubbardston Nonesuch apples were widely grown throughout the northeastern United States, but the variety was notorious for varying in appearance and flavor. Commercial growers struggled to cultivate the apples in ideal conditions, and with time, the variety was replaced in orchards for easier-to-grow apples. Today, Hubbardston Nonesuch apples are a rare heirloom cultivar planted as a novelty in preservation orchards, specialty producers, and home gardeners. One of the oldest-known Hubbardston Nonesuch apple trees resided on a farm belonging to Barzillai Gleason near Hubbardston, Massachusetts. The tree was thought to have been planted in the 1780s and was still growing in 1875, but the tree’s final fate has been deemed a mystery. Hubbardston Nonesuch apples are no longer commercially cultivated and are primarily sold, when in season, directly through growers or in farmer’s markets in the northeastern United States.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Hubbardston Nonesuch Apples. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Delightful Mom Food |
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Homemade Apple Cider |
| She Loves Biscotti |
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Easy Homemade Chunky Applesauce |
| Curry Trail |
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Instant Pot Spiced Apple Cider |
