The firm, crunchy flesh, the intense, sweet taste and the refreshing juiciness as well as the unique variety of apples are the reasons for their popularity. Of the more than 20,000 existing apple varieties, about 30 are of major market importance, with new varieties constantly coming onto the market. The cream-coloured flesh is juicy and firm. If Golden Delicious is harvested late, its flesh is mealy. When fully ripe, the apples are sweetly aromatic and somewhat aniseed-like. Origin
The original home of the apple lies between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Over thousands of years, it has spread across all continents. The apple is the Germans' favourite fruit. Every German citizen consumes 20 kg per year. About half of this comes from domestic sources and half from imports. The German harvest is 600,000 to 700,000 t per year, imports amount to 600,000 t. Italy, France, Austria and the Netherlands must be mentioned as the main export countries. Further imports arrive in spring and summer from the southern hemisphere (Chile, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand). .
Tips
The nutritional combination of the apple is ideal as a snack or after sports, during the school break or when travelling. On the one hand, apples are thirst-quenching because of their water and acid content; on the other hand, they contain quickly utilisable carbohydrates.
Preparation
The apple is the main fruit for fresh enjoyment. It is also popular for preparing salads (fruit, potato, herring, Waldorf salad, etc.), for apple strudels, cakes and pies of various kinds, for baked apples, raw vegetable platters, etc. With fried liver with onions and mashed potatoes, the apple is a special culinary treat. Otherwise, cookbooks offer a wealth of recipes for apples.