Ingredient Spotlight: Gravenstein Apples

They're only here for a few short weeks, but Gravenstein apples are worth the wait. Have you ever tried one?

People love Gravenstein apples because of their perfectly balanced flavor (Sweet! But, wait: tart!) and versatility as a great baking and cooking apple. From applesauce and apple cake to plain old school lunches, Gravensteins deliver. In fact, folks in my neck of the woods have an entire fair devoted to them and I'll admit to going and eating an apple fritter (or two). This week, my favorite San Francisco pie shop is featuring a vegan Gravenstein pie. I've got to figure out a way to get down there before it's gone.

That's the beauty of the Gravenstein: they don't keep well at all and the season's incredibly short, so there's a certain urgency about them. They usually make an appearance in the Bay Area in early-mid August, but their harvesting times vary, so you're never quite sure until you see them popping up at the farmers markets. All I know is that, this week, we're all abuzz about apples. They have arrived, and they won't be here long.

While they're largely a West Coast phenomenon, recipes celebrating the Gravenstein are equally fabulous with many other apple varieties. We're not quite ready to put away our summer canning jars, but we'll admit to flirting with Gravensteins this week. You should, too. Here are a few of our favorite ways:

• Gravenstein Apple Pie with Millet Crust from Delicious Living
• Easy Gravenstein Apple Sauce from Emily Luchetti
• Apple Skillet Cake from King Arthur Flour
• Apple Butter from Simply Recipes
• Free Form Apple Tart from The Kitchn

(Images: The Fruit Guys; Slow Food USA)

Comments (10)

Thanks for the heads up. I haven't tried one. I actually don't like any of the California apples. They are all too sweet. I like New England apples! I will try these.

This is my favorite variety of apple! I live in Sacramento and I am lucky to get some Gravensteins from a grower out in the Central Valley/Linden area. I've been lucky to pick up some Gravensteins since early August and the last couple of weeks, I keep expecting that week's haul to be my last as I know the season is fleeting.

My husband's grandparents have a tree that goes crazy with apples in even years, so this year we canned applesauce, pressed cider with the too-small apples, and saved the big, beautiful ones for baking pies, crisps, and raw apple cake.

This is one of my favorite recipes to use with these: http://www.culinate.com/recipes/collections/Culinate+Kitchen/Desserts/Apple+Cake+with+Brown-Sugar+Frosting It also freezes well for later.

Bahaha thats my last name. People often ask "Like the apple?" Then I change the spelling a bit too. :)

Mission Pie's offering is out of this world. They also had a little box of individual apples for sale when we had breakfast there over the weekend. Delicious flavor aside, I love the skin colors and their petiteness.

I love Gravensteins! They used to be all over the place in Sebastopol, where I lived as a kid, but so many of the orchards have been torn down to make room for vineyards. Boo! They make damn good juice, too. That Mission pie sounds fabulous!

I just started using them this year. So far, we've made two apple pies and some amazing applesauce (recipe here: http://seasonal-menus.blogspot.com/2010/09/best-applesauce-ever.html).

It's all been great - I'm definitely a Gravenstein convert ;-)

These look the same as "honey crisp." Are they?

Growing up in Sebastopol I never realized what a treasure these apples are until I moved to Sacramento! The last time I was home I picked up a dozen and they were gone within a few days! The rest of the year I get my Gravenstein fix from the applesauce they sell at TJ's (unsweetened), it is almost as good as the real thing.

I think the apple is spelled incorrectly and has been for centuries. I actually planted a male and female Gravenstein in my roof top garden in New York City and they bore small but tasty fruit. Some day, I want to go to the Gravenstein Festival and see if I can get a discount on everything.