This month, we’re shining the spotlight on the Blondee apple. A relatively new variety, Blondee apples were first discovered in Portsmouth, Ohio around 1998 by Tom and Bob McLaughlin but were not introduced into commercial markets until 2012. This clear yellow apple features smooth skin with a flavor that is both sweet and tart. Its firm, crisp flesh doesn’t bruise easily, which means it has a longer storage life than other types.
Plus, it’s a slow-browning apple once you slice it, so it makes a good snack to send to school and work. Blondees are harvested in early September. This mid-season fruit is a medium to large varietal with a round, uniform shape with ribbing and a tapered base. Its pale yellow appearance may occasionally be flecked with green or even a red-orange blush, depending on how much sun exposure it received.
Many people love the Blondee’s crisp and crunchy consistency as well as its mild and sweet flavor. There is a slight acidity, backed by faint notes of honey, spices, and melon. These apples are packed with nutrition, specifically:
- Vitamin C to bolster the immune system
- Potassium to balance fluid levels
- Fiber for regulating the digestive tract
- Vitamin E to protect cells against free radical damage
- Vitamin A to ensure healthy organ function
- Calcium and phosphorus to build strong teeth and bones
- Boron, magnesium, zinc, copper, and iron
Applications For Blondees
A member of the Rosaceae family, their flavor lends them equally to fresh or cooked preparations. Because their flesh oxidizes slowly, they are often used in salads. In addition, Blondees are also good for the following:
- Chopped into grain and fruit bowls
- Sliced into sandwiches
- Used on appetizer plates with nuts and soft cheeses
- Shredded into slaws
- Blended into smoothies or pressed into juices
- Baked into pies, tarts, cobblers, turnovers, and crisps
- Simmered into applesauce
- Served as a side dish to meats
- Cooked into jellies and jams
- Baked whole as a dessert
- Used as a filling in pastries, muffins, doughnuts, and bread
- Pair well with nuts likes walnuts, pecans, pistachios, and almonds
Whole Blondee apples will maintain their freshness for three to six months when stored in a dry, cool, dark place such as the crisper drawer in your fridge. They can last up to 10 months when kept in professional cold storage.
Stock Up on Blondees and More at Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery
We have it all: Blondee apples and any other type of apple you can think of. Visit Robinette’s today for fruit, and don’t forget to visit our winery as well for some tasty fruit wine. To learn more, call us at (800) 400-8100 today.