Apple FAQs

An apple is a particular type of fruit that’s considered a pome. The word pome is derived from Latin translation of the word “fruit”. This fruit family is borne from flowering trees in the Rosaceae, or rose, family. A pome fruit grows in such a way where many carpels (aka ovaries) and parts of the flower fuse together to form a fleshy fruit that carries the plant’s seeds. In contrast, a berry grows from a single flower that has a single, simple ovary. Another example of a pome fruit is a pear.

With over 7,500 varieties of apples grown throughout the world, apples come in a variety of autumnal colors. On the outside, apples can have pale or bold hues of yellow, orange, red, green, brown, pink and purple. Their skin can be evenly colored, or have blushes and speckles of many colors. Inside, the crisp, firm flesh is typically white to off-white, and can have flushes or lines of darker colors like pink and red. Different kinds of apples vary widely in size, from about a walnut to as large as a softball!

Today apples grow all around the world, but they originated in a region of central Asia between the Black and Caspian Seas where Kazakhstan is today. Depending on who you ask, apples may have been cultivated as far back as 10,000 years ago! The largest producers of apples today include China, the United States, and Turkey. They’re also grown across parts of Europe, Asia and South America.

Apples grow on trees botanically known as Malus domestica. Because apple trees are so significantly cultivated, there are over 7,500 different malus related trees producing apples all around the world. These trees are deciduous with shiny, oblong pointed leaves and can be tall or shrubby.

With over 7,500 varieties of apples grown throughout the world, apples come in a variety of autumnal colors. On the outside, apples can have pale or bold hues of yellow, orange, red, green, brown, pink and purple. Their skin can be evenly colored, or have blushes and speckles of many colors. Inside, the flesh is typically white to off-white, and can have flushes or lines of darker colors like pink and red.

Chances are, if you’re holding an apple, it’s ripe enough to eat! Apples are harvested when ripe, so they’re always ready to eat by the time they get to you. Unripened apples are usually very green in color, no matter the variety, and would not have developed enough to be tasty.

The beloved apple can be prepared in many ways. Enjoy raw apples with or without the skin, by taking a big ol’ bite of the fruit or slicing it up. Some apples need to be cooked, fermented or prepared otherwise before eating them because of their intense astringent taste when raw.

Always avoid or remove the seeds and core for the best apple eating experience! Apples can be cooked in countless ways to add their signature tart sweetness to savory dishes, desserts, snacks, spreads and dips. 

By juicing or fermenting apples, countless hard and fresh drinks can be made. Apple juice is a perennial favorite of kids, and it sweetens up our favorite fresh pressed juices. They can be fermented into hard beverages like cocktails, spirits and ciders.

If you happen to eat an apple seed or two by mistake, it’s not a big deal. In general, apple seeds are not edible and should be removed before eating.

Today apples grow all around the world, but they originated in a region of central Asia between the Black and Caspian Seas where Kazakhstan is today. Depending on who you ask, apples may have been cultivated as far back as 10,000 years ago! The largest producers of apples today include China, the United States, and Turkey. They’re also grown across parts of Europe, Asia and South America.

Apples grow on trees botanically known as Malus domestica. Because apple trees are so significantly cultivated, there are over 7,500 different malus related trees producing apples all around the world. These trees are deciduous with shiny, oblong pointed leaves and can be tall or shrubby.

An apple a day keeping the doctor away might just be a nursery rhyme, but these tasty fruits are still packed with nutrition. Plus, they’re free of fat and cholesterol. While the flesh has all the flavor, their tasty peels contain most of the fiber and antioxidants found in the entire fruit.

Apple Nutrition (1 medium apple, 200g)

• Calories: 104
• Total Carbohydrates: 28g
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugars: 21g
• Calcium: 12mg
• Magnesium: 10mg
• Phosphorus: 22mg
• Potassium: 214mg
• Sodium: 2mg
• Vitamin C: 9mg
  

Read more about the nutrition of apples on the USDA website.

Apples are available year round in the United States, but their peak season happens around August and September in the summer through late fall.

Apples are a versatile fruit that get invited to all the best food parties. This fruit is often eaten out of hand, or added to other raw recipes. Even though they’re available year-round, some of the most popular apple recipes are associated with the fall season such as cider, apple cider donuts, apple pies, fritters and cakes. They’re delicious in savory recipes too, and can be found in sauces, roasts and dressings.

Apples are among the most classic fruit flavors here in the United States. Texture of the fruit’s flesh varies slightly among varieties, but apples generally have a firm, crunchy yet juicy flesh that’s sweet with other dominant bitter, sour or tart flavors. The edible skin is usually thin and slightly waxy and can have a sweet or bitter flavor. In general, apple seeds are not edible and should be removed before eating.

If you ask us, there’s no wrong way to eat an apple. Raw, peanut buttered, baked, candied, dried, sauced, fried or sandwiched, apples make for some of our most favorite fruit experiences! Fresh apples can be eaten raw as a solo snack, tucked into cheese boards and paired with classic carrot and celery sticks. Just about any variety of apple can be enjoyed by the slice and dipped into a flavorful bowl of something delicious like cheese, hummus, almond butter, honey or cheese as a satisfying snack. Many types of apple bring sweet, crisp flavor to cooked dishes of all types.

Apple juice and apple cider might get a lot of the apple drinking glory, but there’s so much more sip! Apples find their way into drinks for people of all ages, in concoctions from fresh juices to teas, and cocktails to spirits. With such an array of flavors from bitter, sweet, sour, tart and tangy, apples bring a complex range of flavors to many delicious beverages.

The apple’s versatility knows no bounds! Their relatively long shelf life allows them to be stored in many different ways. With such thin skin and high water content, apples can act like sponges for flavors and odors if not stored properly. Like their peak autumn season, apples enjoy a chilly storage place and not too much light.

Keep apples separate from other fruits and vegetables to avoid overripening and off flavors. Stored solo in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator, apples will stay fresh for up to a month. Apples stored on the countertop can ripen almost ten times as fast as when they’re refrigerated. Keep apples on the counter for just under a week.

For best freezing results, first dice or slice apples into halves or wedges, removing the core, stem and calyx. Place them on a cookie sheet with space between each piece. Once frozen, store the fruit in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.

Dried apples can stay fresh, when stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, for over a year.

Over at FruitStand, we love sharing fruit with our wet-nosed friends, so we encourage you to clear the safety of any new fruits or veggies with your veterinarian before offering them your pooch. That said, lots of dogs love apples! Apples are usually safe to offer to your dog in small quantities because they contain sugar. Make sure you remove the core before offering apple slices to your dog.

Apples can be quite juicy. That’s great news for your tastebuds, but not so much for your t-shirt. Even though the fruit is lightly colored, apples can leave a mark on certain fabrics. If possible, treat the mark quickly with a fabric sage stain remover and launder the item according to its cleaning instructions.

If you drop a piece of apple on your clothing, table cloth or napkins, first treat the spot with a stain remover that’s safe for that particular fabric. Follow the directions on the product to prevent the spot from setting, and pop the item into the washer as soon as you can.

Apples, like pears, are considered pome fruits. The word pome is derived from Latin translation of the word “fruit”. If you slice an apple or pear in half, you’ll see the same core, flesh, skin and calyx formation that pomes are known for. Botany aside, apples and pears come in a similar array of yellow, green, red and brown colors, and are eaten in many of the same ways. Raw, cooked or sipped, both apples and pears are versatile enough for a wide array of delicious experiences. 

It’s their flavor, texture and shape that set these two fruits apart. Apple flesh stays firm, crunchy and juicy, while pear flesh becomes quite soft and nectarous as it ripens. They contain more sour and tart notes, whereas pears lean into more sweet and sugary flavors. Apples tend to be more round or squat, whereas pears are teardrop shaped.

Rotten apples got you down? It’s easy to get bad smells from apples out of your house with a few simple steps. First, discard any spoiled apples into the garbage or compost bin. Then, clean the area where the apples were stored with hot, soapy water or home cleaning spray. Let it dry thoroughly.

To prevent bad smells from fruit in your kitchen and home, keep an old-fashioned box of baking soda in your fridge and anywhere you store food every two to three months to prevent unpleasant aromas before they start. Immediately refrigerate cut apples in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When not refrigerated, only store whole, fresh fruit in a cool, clean and well ventilated area. See our section on how to store apples for help on keeping them fresher for longer!

If you’ve ever wondered where to buy rare, specialty apples, we’ve got great news for you! FruitStand is proud to partner with small farmers to bring you exceptional quality, super special apples. To be the first to know when FruitStand is shipping apples harvests, join our email newsletter!