Fruity Friday: Apples

Fruity Friday  The Apple

When someone mentions the word Apple it's likely these days that iPhone or Mac comes to mind, but the Apple we are featuring today is the kind that grows on trees! From Granny Smith to Pink Lady to Golden Delicious the humble apple truly is one of nature's super fruits. 

An Apple a Day Keeps The Doctor Away. Remember that old saying - well it's true! Apples are "Nature's Toothbrush" they help clean teeth and massage gums! They make the perfect healthy afternoon or mid morning snack. Apples are high in fibre which makes you feel full, assisting with weight loss! Eating an apple a day can also help you reduce cholesterol levels - that's music to our ears! Research also indicates Apples can reduce the risk of colon, prostate and lung cancer. Apples are made up of 75% water! Did you know - fresh apples even float when submerged in water, because 25% of their volume is air. 

Adam and Eve... and that Apple!
The word Apple comes from the Old English word "aeppel". In Greek mythology the apple is a symbol of love and beauty. The apple is known as the forbidden fruit in many religions including Christianity.  Remember Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden? Christian tradition features a red apple known as the forbidden fruit that Eve steals from the Garden of Eden and later convinces Adam to eat it. The latin word for apple (mālum) and evil (mălum) are very similar which may have influenced the bible referring to the apple as the Forbidden Fruit. 

Apple Jack anyone?

There are over 10,000 different varieties of apples, with Red Delicious being one of the most popular. Apples grow on small trees which blossom in the Spring and bear fruit in Autumn/Fall. They are a member of the rose family of plants. You may already know that sliced apples turn brown when exposed to oxygen. But to prevent this, place the slices in a pan of cold water with a pinch of salt. For salads, dip them slices in fresh lemon juice to prevent slices from turning brown. 

Apples are also used to make juice, cider, martinis and Apple Jack. They have always been a very popular ingredient in desserts such as apple pies, crumbles, stewed apples, cake and even muffins. Coated in hot toffee that is allowed to cool creates a delicious candy treat known as the Toffee Apple. Yum! Popular variations include Candy Apples and Caramel Apples. 

Caramel Apples

As American As Apple Pie. America is the second leading producer of apples after China, so it's no wonder the Apple has become much more than just a fruit. Even New York city is known as The Big Apple. Plus we can't forget the world's most valuable brand, Apple Inc. It's also part of the American movie culture including many fables and fairy tales. A red apple is featured on the cover of the Twilight book representing the forbidden fruit. Author Stephenie Meyer says she loved the phrase "the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil". 
In Disney's fairytale of Snow White, a wicked Queen tricks Snow White into taking a bite of a poisoned apple which sends her into a magical sleep. A deep sleep that only the power of love's first kiss can cure... 

It seems that Eve, that evil Queen and Steve Jobs aren't the only ones who know the power of the Apple. Donna Karan created the Be Delicious range of fragrances for DKNY, with the apple as the symbol of her fragrance campaign. The Be Delicious perfume features a sleek metal and glass bottle in the shape of an apple. Inspired by New York city, this juicy fragrance features notes of American apple, cucumber, grapefruit, sandalwood and white amber. 

A is for Apple. Whether your enjoying it as a healthy snack or indulging in a slice of your favourite apple pie, apples are just incredible! Hopefully you are now inspired to include an apple into your daily diet. 

Fruity Friday: Persimmons

For our first Fruity Friday article we want to introduce you to a fruit that you may not be very familiar with and that's the Persimmon. One of our favourite Vegans Liz Crotts from Spain, recently created a wonderful video on How to a Prepare & Eat Persimmons. 


Persimmon is a sweet (and slightly tangy) glossy orange skinned fruit from the berry family. The heart-shaped Hachiya (featured in the video below) is the most common variety of Persimmon. Unripe Hachiya taste bitter so select firmer fruits and allow them to ripen. Ripen persimmons at room temperature in a paper bag just like bananas. Store them in the fridge when ripe and be sure to eat as soon as possible as overripe persimmons quickly turn mushy!  The 2nd type of Persimmon, the Fuyu is round (like a pumpkin shape) and often lighter in colour that the Hachiya. This variety is best eaten when hard like an apple. 


This delicious seedless fruit is a good source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C and also rich in fibre. Persimmons are in-season from September to December with a peak during November. Their origins go back to ancient China and are also known as the Japanese Persimmon or Kaki. Persimmons were introduced to California, USA and Southern Europe in the late 1880's. Today persimmons are most commonly grown in China, Japan, Korea, Italy, Brazil, USA, Australia and New Zealand. 


Fun Fruity Fact:
An annual Persimmon Festival is held every September in Mitchell, Indiana (USA) featuring a persimmon pudding contest. Persimmons are harvested and used in a variety of desserts such as cakes, puddings, pies and as a topping for breakfast cereal. 

Liz Crotts talks about Persimmons: "They are such an amazing fruit. Wow it just looks like a dessert... So sweet and so sugary. It's nature's candy, nature's dessert but you can eat it any time of the day, you don't have to wait until after your meal, this is your meal. "  



Thank you to Liz Crotts for inspiring this article and teaching us how to prepare persimmons! Check out her blog and subscribe to her LizYArtur channel on Youtube for more amazing videos about her raw vegan lifestyle.