This website uses cookies, pixels, and other tracking technologies to personalize content, analyze how our site and apps are used, and create aggregated statistics.
We disclose data about site and app users to third parties so we can target our ads to you on other websites, and those third parties may use that data for their own purposes.
For more information on how we collect, use, and disclose this information, please review our
Privacy Policy.
Continued use of this site means you consent to our Privacy Policy.
Pestle apples are small to medium-sized fruits with a round to conical, slightly flattened shape. The skin is faintly ribbed, smooth, thin, and covered in natural wax. The base coloring of the apple is yellow-green, and as the fruit matures, it may develop dark red and pink blush with spots of vertical striping, sometimes entirely covering the surface. Underneath the skin, the flesh bears a pink tinge just below the surface, and the remaining flesh ranges from white to ivory. The flesh is also crisp, aqueous, and aromatic, encasing a central core filled with oval, dark brown seeds. Pestle apples have a sweet, fruity, and honeyed flavor balanced with tangy, subtly sour undertones.
Seasons/Availability
Pestle apples are available in the summer through early fall.
Current Facts
Pestle apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are an ancient Russian variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. The fragrant fruits are an early-season cultivar, maturing in the summer, and were first discovered growing in Russia in the 18th century. Pestle apples are not commercially cultivated on a large scale and are primarily grown in home gardens. The trees can reach up to 7 meters in height and are highly favored by farmers for their frost tolerance, fast-growing nature, and productivity. One Pestle apple tree can produce over 150 kilograms of fruit in a single season. Pestle apples are known by many other names throughout Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia, including Pestrushka apples, Grushovka Moscow, Skorospelka, Spasovka, and Grushovka Red apples. The sweet fruits are consumed fresh and are also favored for juices, jams, and baked goods.
Nutritional Value
Pestle apples are an excellent source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that strengthens the immune system, reduces inflammation, and boosts collagen production within the skin. The fruits are also a good source of fiber to regulate the digestive tract and provide minerals, including potassium, calcium, iron, and phosphorus.
Applications
Pestle apples are best suited for fresh applications as their sweet flavor is showcased when consumed straight, out-of-hand. The apples have thin, edible skin and crisp flesh that can be eaten as a snack, sliced and tossed into green salads, or chopped and mixed into fruit bowls. The apples can also be pressed into juice, blended into smoothies, or served with sweet dips on appetizer plates. In addition to fresh applications, Pestle apples can be utilized in some baked preparations, including pies, cakes, muffins, bread, and tarts, pureed and simmered into applesauce, or cooked into marmalades, jams, jellies, and preserves. Once cooked into a jam, the spread is traditionally served with baked goods or layered over roasted meats. Pestle apples pair well with fruits such as apricots, mango, orange, and cranberries, spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice, ginger, meats such as poultry, turkey, and pork, and herbs such as parsley, rosemary, and sage. Whole, unwashed Pestle apples will keep 2 to 3 weeks when stored in a cold and dark place away from direct sunlight.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Russia, Pestle apples are a common apple variety blessed during the Apple Savior Festival, also known as the Apple Feast of the Saviour or Apple Spas. The Eastern Slavic celebration marks the arrival of fall, and the first apples gathered from home gardens and orchards are given to priests to bless in the church. This fruit blessing tradition dates back to the 8th century, and apple consumption before the Apple Savior Festival was often considered a sin. Once the apples are blessed during the festival, they are consumed, and it is believed that the first bite of the fruit helps make a wish come true. Pestle apples are an early-season variety and their harvest period frequently coincides with the Apple Savior Festival, making them a popular variety during the celebration. The blessed apples are traditionally consumed fresh, but festival participants also spend the day making apple pies, cakes, strudels, and tarts. Apples are also frequently baked with honey or sugar and consumed as a sweet dessert.
Geography/History
Pestle apples were created from natural selection and are native to the central regions of Russia. The cultivar was first discovered in the mid-18th century, and as it rose in popularity, the apple spread across Russia into Central Asia, favored by home gardeners for its frost tolerance. The first recorded description of Pestle apples was in a gardening journal by biologist Andrey Bolotov, and in the 19th century, the variety was introduced to Canada and the United States. Today Pestle apples are found through small farms and in home gardens in Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and North America.
Galmart supermarket
улица Розыбакиева 247А, Алматы 050060, Казахстан
Pestle apples of Kazakhstan…Despite the name linking Pestle apples with Kazakhstan, they are actually native to central Russia and arose from natural selection. Discovered in the 18th century, the frost-tolerant variety became popular, spreading across Russia and into Central Asia. By the 19th century, Pestle apples were also introduced to the United States and Canada, and today they are cultivated on small farms and home gardens in regions across the globe, including North America and Eastern Europe.
Galmart supermarket
улица Розыбакиева 247А, Алматы 050060, Казахстан
Pestle apples of South Kazakhstan…Pestle apples are deeply tied to the Eastern Slavic Apple Savior Festival, a celebration marking the arrival of fall. This tradition dates back to the 8th century when the first apples of the season were blessed by priests before consumption. Eating a blessed apple during the festival is thought to grant wishes. Pestle apples are harvested early in the season and often used for fresh eating or desserts like pies, cakes, and strudels during the festivities.
Market Tausamal
Жандосова, Яссауи, Каменка, Рынок "Тау-Самал, Алматы, Казахстан
Pestle apples of Kazakhstan. Pestle apples, grown in Kazakhstan, are small to medium-sized with a round or slightly flattened shape. Their skin is thin, smooth, and faintly ribbed with a yellow-green base, often developing dark red or pink blush as they ripen. Inside, the flesh is crisp and aromatic, transitioning from pink near the skin to white or ivory deeper in. The flavor is sweet and honeyed with subtle tangy, sour notes, offering a delightful balance of taste.
Almaty Central Green Market
Zhibek Zholy str 53, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Pestle apples of early season grown in south Kazakhstan. Pestle apples pair beautifully with a variety of flavors and ingredients. Their sweet profile complements fruits like apricots, mango, orange, and cranberries, as well as spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. They also work well alongside meats like poultry, turkey, and pork, or herbs such as parsley, rosemary, and sage, adding versatility to both savory and sweet dishes.
Ecofreshmarket
Kazakhfilm microdistrict 14, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Pestle apples of Ile Alatau foothills, Kazakhstan. Pestle apples are an ancient variety botanically classified as Malus domestica, first discovered growing in Russia in the 18th century. These early-season apples, which mature in summer, are highly productive, with a single tree yielding over 150 kilograms of fruit per season. Renowned for their frost tolerance and sweet flavor, they are consumed fresh or used in juices, jams, and baked goods. Rich in vitamin C, fiber, and essential minerals, they offer significant health benefits.
Supermarket Galmart
улица Розыбакиева 263, Алматы 050060, Казахстан
Early harvest of pestle apples. Pestle apples are native to central Russia and were first documented in the mid-18th century by biologist Andrey Bolotov. Known for their frost tolerance, the apples became popular among home gardeners and expanded across Russia, Central Asia, and later to Canada and the United States in the 19th century. Today, they thrive in small farms and home gardens across Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and North America.
Kazakhfilm weekend food fair
5WX4+2G5, улица Жарокова, Алматы, Казахстан
Pestle apples are well stored by local farmers. Pestle apples hold special significance in Russian culture, especially during the Apple Savior Festival, an Eastern Slavic celebration marking the arrival of fall. This festival involves blessing the first harvested apples, a tradition dating back to the 8th century. Pestle apples, as an early-season variety, are popular for this occasion. Believers say the first bite of a blessed apple can grant a wish. They are often enjoyed fresh or baked into pies, cakes, strudels, and tarts with honey or sugar.
Kazakhfilm food fair
Kazakhfilm microdistrict, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Pestle apples of Almaty region. Pestle apples feature a unique appearance with a round to conical, slightly flattened shape and thin, smooth, naturally waxy skin. As they ripen, their yellow-green base color transitions to a mesmerizing mix of dark red and pink blush, often adorned with vertical striping. The flesh is crisp, aromatic, and ivory to pink-tinged, offering a sweet, honeyed flavor paired with tangy, subtle sour notes for a harmonious taste experience.
Convenient vegetable store
Satpayev 64, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Peatle Almaty apples. Pestle apples are versatile and pair well with fruits like apricots, mango, and orange, as well as warm spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. They can enhance both sweet and savory dishes, from salads and smoothies to jams served with roasted meats. When stored whole and unwashed in a cool, dark place, these apples can remain fresh for up to 3 weeks, making them a convenient option for various culinary creations.
Central Green Market
Жибек Жолы 53, Алматы 050000, Казахстан
Pestrushka (Pestle) apples grown in the foothills of Ile Alatau mountain range, Kazakhstan. Pestle apples belong to the Rosaceae family and were first discovered in Russia in the 18th century. They are an ancient variety cultivated primarily in home gardens rather than on a large commercial scale. These early-season apples are highly frost-tolerant and produce up to 150 kilograms of fruit per tree in a season. Known by many other names, the sweet fruits are prized fresh and used in juices, jams, and baking.
is easiest, three is harder.
