Washington Apple Commission ‘Apple Of My Eye’ Media Session

I may not eat an apple a day but it certainly ranks among my favourite fruits because of its versatility. I love it in baked products especially cakes and crumbles. During my baking days, I used a lot of Granny Smiths and there is nothing quite as thirst quenching as a cool glass of apple juice.

Washington Apple Commission hosted the ‘Apple Of My Eye’ media session to introduce us to the varieties of Washington apples, their benefits and my favourite nutritionist, Indra Balaratnam together with celebrity mum, Sazzy Falak demonstrated the many uses of apples (more on that in another post).

Apples are packed with natural antioxidants which should be part of a healthy diet thanks to the nutrients that may minimize the risk of gastrointestinal and heart disease. Apples also contain fiber, potassium, vitamins A and C. According to indications of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, increasing consumption of apples may prevent coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease.

Washington apples are grown in the fertile valleys and plateaus of America’s far west. More than 175,000 acres of apple orchards are nestled in the eastern foothills of the picturesque Cascade Mountains at elevations from 500 to 3,000 feet above sea level. The orchards are irrigated with plentiful and cool mountain water.

Harvest of Washington apples begins in mid-August and generally ends in early November. Each year, Washington harvests over 100 million boxes of apples, each weighing about 40 pounds. More than half of all apples grown in the United States for fresh eating are from orchards in Washington State.

These are just some of the Washington apple variants:-

Red Delicious

This one’s a classic –  America’s favourite snacking apples. The heart-shaped fruit is bright and red and sometimes striped. Crunchy with a mildly sweet flavor, Reds are also great in salads. Washington apple growers have been producing the world’s best Red Delicious apples since the 1920s.

Cameo

Sweet with a zingy crunch, Cameo® holds its texture for long periods.

Fuji

This immensely flavourful, new variety was introduced to the US from Japan in the 1980s, but now the US produces more Fujis than Japan. Each year, this big, super-sweet, crisp apple gains new fans. The Fuji holds its texture when baked. It’s known for its hard texture and syrupy sweetness. It’s excellent for baking and salads. Washington’s cool weather in the late fall helps develop its reddish-pink and superb flavour.

Granny Smith

Green, extremely tart, crisp, juicy and versatile, they are available year round. Grannies are a favourite of Washington state pie-bakers. They are also excellent for snacking and salads. Warm days and cool summer nights ensure crunch and flavour.

Washington apples are available almost the whole year round at leading hypermarkets, supermarkets, wet markets and fruit retail shops throughout Malaysia.

For more information, visit www.bestapples.com