Wolf's Paw Apples
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Wolf’s Paw apples vary in appearance, size, and shape, depending on growing conditions. The apples are generally small to medium in size, averaging 7 to 8 centimeters in diameter, and are harvested when they range between 150 to 200 grams in weight. Depending on the climate and soil, Wolf’s Paw apples are round, oblate, or irregular in shape and often showcase a lopsided, asymmetrical nature, with one side more developed than the other. The apples are occasionally compressed on the top and bottom, giving them a flattened feel. The apple’s stem is short and stout, connecting to the fruit in a deep cavity, and the skin is semi-thick, firm, and chewy. Wolf’s Paw apples are notably covered in a rough to sandy-textured russet, giving the fruits a dusty olive green, brown, golden-brown hue. The surface is also covered in markings of scratches, scars, and scaling, giving the skin a bumpy, flaking appearance, and is enveloped in pale, scattered lenticels. Underneath the skin, the pale yellow to ivory flesh is tinged with green and has a hard, crumbly, faintly aqueous, and fine-grained consistency. The crisp flesh also encases a central fibrous core filled with tiny black-brown seeds. Wolf’s Paw apples are aromatic and release a perfumed, fruity scent with subtle tropical nuances. The apples are edible raw or cooked and have a sweet and sour taste with bright, floral, and fruity undertones. When left in storage, the variety develops a subtle and delicate flavor of aniseed and lychee.
Seasons/Availability
Wolf’s Paw apples are harvested in the late fall through winter, typically before the first frost. Once picked, the variety can be stored through the spring. The apple’s peak season falls between January through April.
Current Facts
Wolf’s Paw apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are an heirloom variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. The mid to late-season cultivar is native to France and has been noted in various written texts since the 17th century. Wolf’s Paw apples grow on sturdy trees with spreading, angled branches, and growers value the apples for their ability to hang tightly onto the tree in windy climates. Wolf’s Paw apples also have extended storage capabilities and can be transported long distances without the fear of damage. The variety is productive and produces multi-purpose fruits consumed in a wide array of fresh and cooked preparations. Throughout history, Wolf’s Paw apples are commonly known under several French names, including Patte de Loup, meaning “Wolf’s Paw,” Griffe de Loup, or “Wolf’s Claw,” and Pomme de Loup, “Wolf’s Apple.” It is also occasionally known as De Loup and Pocre de Loup apples. The variety is not commercially produced on a large scale and is reserved for specialty growers and home gardens. Wolf’s Paw apples have decreased in availability with the rise of uniform, modern apples, but there has been a recent revival in specialty growers planting heirloom apples to protect, preserve, and promote unique, rare varieties. Wolf’s Paw apples have a distinct, sometimes obscure appearance, but the variety has maintained a notable reputation for its perfumed, sweet, and tangy taste.
Nutritional Value
Wolf’s Paw apples have not been extensively studied for their nutritional properties. Like other apples, the variety, in general, may be a source of fiber to regulate the digestive tract and vitamin C to boost the immune system. The apples may also provide some calcium to build strong bones and teeth, vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, vitamin E to protect the cells against free radical damage, magnesium to control nerve functions, and other nutrients, including copper, manganese, vitamin K, zinc, and phosphorus.
Applications
Wolf’s Paw apples have a sweet, subtly tangy, and floral taste suited for raw and cooked preparations. The irregularly shaped apples develop peak flavors after a brief storage period, and at this stage, they are typically consumed out of hand. Wolf’s Paw apples can be eaten with or without their skin, depending on preference, and the apples are sliced and served on cheese boards or eaten as a stand-alone snack. They can also be sliced and tossed into salads, mixed into fruit medleys, layered on crostini or toast, or chopped and folded into crepes. In addition to raw applications, Wolf’s Paw apples are known for their flavor and consistency in cooked preparations and are notably baked into pies, cakes, fritters, and puffs. They are also cooked into tarte tatin, a popular French dessert of caramelized apples topped with pastry dough. Wolf’s Paw apples can be made into chutney, roasted with meats as a side dish, especially sausage or poultry, or simmered into sauces. Beyond culinary preparations, Wolf’s Paw apples are pressed into juice and sold commercially. The juice is also used in various cider blends. Wolf’s Paw apples pair well with herbs such as mint, parsley, fennel, and thyme, cheeses including parmesan, cheddar, and gouda, and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Whole, unwashed Wolf’s Paw apples will keep for 1 to 4 months when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place, such as a cellar or the refrigerator’s crisper drawer. The variety reaches its peak season for fresh eating from January through April.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Wolf’s Paw apples earned their wolf moniker from the prominent scar that develops on the fruit’s surface. This scar can extend across the fruit, sometimes so deep that it gives the apple a misshapen, irregular shape. Legend has it that the fruits obtained this scar from being scratched by wolves at night in French orchards as they tried to paw the fruits off the tree. While local lore preserved this legend as a favorite story passed between generations, pomologists attribute the scar to the apples growing too quickly. When the fruits become swollen in the mid-season, they eventually burst, tear open, and then heal, leaving a large scar. Each scar is unique, and some fruits may not exhibit a tear, depending on growing conditions. Wolf’s Paw apples were also allegedly one of the favorite apples of Anne of Brittany, the famous Duchess of Brittany, France.
Geography/History
Wolf’s Paw apples are thought to be native to France and were first discovered in Beaupreau, a commune in the Marie-et-Loire department of Northwestern France. The variety has been mentioned in horticultural documents since the 17th century but is believed to have been cultivated even earlier, dating back to the Middle Ages. Claude Saint-Étienne noted Wolf’s Paw apples in 1670 in his work “Nouvelle Instruction pours Connaître les Bons Fruits,” which translated to “New Instructions for Knowing Good Fruits.” Wolf’s Paw apples were a popular variety grown in the 17th and 18th centuries in France, but over time, they fell out of favor in commercial markets due to their unusual appearance. Today, Wolf’s Paw apples are a rare heirloom variety grown through specialty orchards, primarily in France and other regions of Europe. The apples are also planted in home gardens worldwide and seasonally sold through farmer’s markets as a delicacy.
