St. Edmund's Russet

This apple was discovered in the orchard or Richard Harvey of Bury, St. Edmunds, England in about 1870.  It is the first russet to ripen in Central Maine, and we are always excited to see it.  St. Edmund's is a perennial favorite in the apple tasting at the Common Ground Fair.

The flesh is juicy and crisp and has a sweet, slightly tart flavor that is reminiscent of pear.  (Or maybe it is the feel of the skin that makes of think of pear.)  We recommend this russet for fresh eating. Sliced and sautéed slowly in butter, it retains it shape, browns up nicely and develops more complex flavors.  Some of the tasters in our Palermo Test Kitchen voted it the best sauce of the week for it’s balance of sweet and tart and the integrity of the apples which don’t turn entirely to mush. Makes good cider.  Use it soon; this apple is not a keeper.