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Zestar!™ Apples
Inventory, 40 lbs : 0
Description/Taste
Zestar!™ apples are medium to large in size and are round in shape, averaging seven centimeters in diameter. The yellow-green skin is smooth, shiny, and firm with contrasting orange and red striations, giving the fruit a rosy blush over the majority of the skin. There are also many small light tan lenticels or pores covering the surface. The cream-colored to white flesh is juicy and crisp, and there are a few small dark brown seeds encased in the central fibrous core. Zestar!™ apples have a sweet-tart taste with notes of brown sugar.
Seasons/Availability
Zestar!™ apples are available in late summer through mid-fall.
Current Facts
Zestar!™ apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are an early ripening variety that was developed at the University of Minnesota in 1999. Zestar!™ apples are the result of a cross between a numbered varietal and the state fair apple, and were originally patented under the name “Minnewashta.” The apple’s tangy and sweet flavor earned the fruit its current moniker, and Zestar!™ apples were created to meet the demand for an early season variety with excellent flavor and shelf life. Zestar!™ apples are an all-purpose apple and are known as one of the parents to the popular sweetango™ variety.
Nutritional Value
Zestar!™ apples are an excellent source of vitamins A and C and dietary fiber.
Applications
Zestar!™ apples are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as baking or roasting. They can be consumed fresh out of hand, sliced and mixed in with green salads, or displayed on cheese boards. Zestar!™ apples brown easily so they can be tossed in lemon juice after slicing to prevent discoloration. They can also be baked in pies, pastries, and served sliced with warm caramel or other dipping sauces. Zestar!™ apples pair well with roquefort cheese, cheddar cheese, walnuts, cinnamon, and brown sugar. They will keep up to two months when stored in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
The University of Minnesota’s breeding program was established in 1878 and has created over twenty-four new apple varieties including regent, sweet 16, honeycrisp, haralson, fireside, honeygold, and snowsweet®. Zestar!™ apples were created to fill a gap in the early season apple market, and they have an excellent storage life, flavor, and texture, which is not the norm for early season varieties. Zestar!™ apples are patented and trademarked, so growers have to license the apple and cultivate it under specific guidelines to keep the flavors of the variety relatively similar.
Geography/History
Zestar!™ apples were developed and released in 1999 by the University of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station. Today Zestar!™ apples can be found at specialty markets across the United States and Canada.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Zestar!™ Apples. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Sally's Baking Addiction |
|
Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars |
| Dash of Jazz |
|
Easy Caramel Apple Pie with all Butter Crust |
