The venerable Mr Edward Bunyard and I are agreed that this is the best flavoured apple in the
world, ever. From his description in 1929, "...it seems to come from the Low Countries, where
we first meet with it in 1776. Its brown/red flush and glowing gold do very easily suggest that if
Rembrandt had painted a fruit piece he would have chosen this apple. In the rich golden flesh
there is a hint of the Ribston flavour, much of the Blenheim nuttiness, and an admirable balance
of acidity and sweetness which combine, in my opinion, to make the best apple grown in
Western Europe....Orleans Reinette is an apple..rich and mellow, and as a background for an
old port it stands solitary and unapproachable"
When its really ripe there is an incredible melange of savours to this apple including nuts and
orange peel. The texture inclines to the chewy rather than "crunch" (one of the things that
makes me smile through gritted teeth at our apple displays is the customer, and there are lots of
them, who say "I want a crunchy apple". Why don't they ask "I want a TASTY apple"? I suspect it
is because so many of the apples they buy have had such a long journey down the cold chain
from the other side of the world the texture becomes woolly when they finally come up to room
temperature after purchase. However, asking for a "crunchy" apple is like asking for a "cold"
white wine. Yes, fair enough, but what would you like it to TASTE of? We have, as Mr Hills
observed, come a long way since "The Anatomy of Dessert" and sadly most of you reading this
will probably never have tasted a ripe Orleans Reinette, let alone with a 1976 Quinta do
Vargellas or other vintage port after dinner on Christmas day. Of course, they do grow this and
other Reinettes in France, Reinettes are THE classic French apple for cooking, which accounts
for a lot.
world, ever. From his description in 1929, "...it seems to come from the Low Countries, where
we first meet with it in 1776. Its brown/red flush and glowing gold do very easily suggest that if
Rembrandt had painted a fruit piece he would have chosen this apple. In the rich golden flesh
there is a hint of the Ribston flavour, much of the Blenheim nuttiness, and an admirable balance
of acidity and sweetness which combine, in my opinion, to make the best apple grown in
Western Europe....Orleans Reinette is an apple..rich and mellow, and as a background for an
old port it stands solitary and unapproachable"
When its really ripe there is an incredible melange of savours to this apple including nuts and
orange peel. The texture inclines to the chewy rather than "crunch" (one of the things that
makes me smile through gritted teeth at our apple displays is the customer, and there are lots of
them, who say "I want a crunchy apple". Why don't they ask "I want a TASTY apple"? I suspect it
is because so many of the apples they buy have had such a long journey down the cold chain
from the other side of the world the texture becomes woolly when they finally come up to room
temperature after purchase. However, asking for a "crunchy" apple is like asking for a "cold"
white wine. Yes, fair enough, but what would you like it to TASTE of? We have, as Mr Hills
observed, come a long way since "The Anatomy of Dessert" and sadly most of you reading this
will probably never have tasted a ripe Orleans Reinette, let alone with a 1976 Quinta do
Vargellas or other vintage port after dinner on Christmas day. Of course, they do grow this and
other Reinettes in France, Reinettes are THE classic French apple for cooking, which accounts
for a lot.