NEW ENGLAND APPLE-OF-THE-WEEK:

THE MUTSU, OF JAPANESE ORIGIN,

THRIVES ON NEW ENGLAND SOILS

News from

NEW ENGLAND APPLES

P. O. B 41, Hatfield, MA 01038 www.apples-ne.com 413-247-9966

HATFIELD, MA-The Mutsu, this week's New England Apple of the Week, has its origins in Japan, where it is a major variety. A sweet apple also known as Crispin, the Mutsu was developed from a Golden Delicious crossed with an Indo, a Japanese seedling, in 1930 and introduced in the United States in 1948. Now is the time to look for ripe Mutsu apples in New England's orchards, along with a number of other mid- and late-season varieties like Rome, Empire, Golden and Eastern Red Delicious, and heirloom varieties like Baldwin, Northern Spy and Roxbury Russet.

The Mutsu's flavor and appearance is described by Joan Morgan and Alison Richards in The New Book of Apples as "sweet, honeyed, with crisp, juicy flesh" similar to its parent, the Gold Delicious, "but of a coarser texture." Its skin is yellow with a slight brownish flush, and the flesh is white to pale yellow. The Mutsu is an excellent dessert apple and is considered especially good in salads, but has a sweet, light flavor cooked, and it holds its shape well. They can grow quite large-the following pie recipe featuring Mutsu apples from Ken Haedrich's Apple Pie Perfect may require as few as three apples.

Crispin (Mutsu) Apple Lemonade Pie

Remove pie shell from package but leave in freezer until ready to fill. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine apples and lemonade concentrate in large mixing bowl and mix well. In small bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch, and mix well. Shake dry mixture over fruit, then toss to combine. Scrape filling into frozen pie shell and smooth the top with hands. Place pie on center oven rack and bake for 25 minutes.

While pie bakes, make topping by combining flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in food processor. Pulse several times to mix. Remove lid and scatter butter pieces over the dry mixture. Pulse again until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Empty crumbs into large mixing bowl and rub with fingers to make large, buttery crumbs. Refrigerate.

After 25 minutes, slip a spatula beneath the pie and slide it onto a large baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Carefully dump topping in center of pie, spreading evenly with hands. Tamp down gently to compact crumbs. Put pie on baking sheet back in oven and bake until juices bubble around edges, 30-35 minutes. Slip spatula under pie and slide to a cooling rack. Let cool for at least one hour before slicing.

For links to pick-your-own orchards throughout the region, visit the New England Apples website at www.apples-ne.com, or call 413-247-9966.