A hundred-years-ago apples were one of the few fruits available during most of year. According to a hundred-year-old magazine article titled “Apples for All:”
After all has been said and done, the apple is the housekeeper’s best friend. Berry time comes and goes, the delicious fall fruits have their fleeting season, but the apple comes and stays.
Good Housekeeping (January, 1919)
Times sure have changed. Now I can get berries and many other fruits any time during the year – but apples are still a favorite. I’m currently enjoying the last apples from the tree in my back yard.
A Hundred Years Ago 
I love a basket of apples on the table and use them often as a centerpiece!
Fresh fruit makes a wonderful centerpiece.
An apple a day keeps the Doctor away.
I love that saying. It has a nugget of truth in it, and has stood the test of time.
Many people back in PA had apple trees in their yard. I remember learning how to make applesauce from my neighbor. There are no apple trees here, but we can have oranges.
When my children were younger they used to love to make apple sauce using a foley mill. Oranges right off the tree sound wonderful
Apples are so versatile for sweet or savoury and keep so well so I have to agree!
I agree – There are so many wonderful apple varieties, each with its own unique characteristics.
Great post. I wonder how many different varieties were available one hundred years ago. I enjoy so many different delicious apples!
I have no idea how many varieties were around a hundred years ago – but, I do know that many of those old heirloom varieties are seldom seen today.
We enjoyed the apple season here this year. We eat them all year, but we adore them from the local orchard as they are picked. There is a lot to be said for the keep-ability of apples. They knew to comment on it 100 years ago!
Local apples are the best. Apples coated with wax to help preserve them are one of my pet peeves.
Do you know of a good way to remove wax from apples?
No, I don’t know how to remove it. I wash the apples -but that doesn’t really get rid of it.
Thank you for sharing. So very many wonderful cooking options. Love, hug,s happy and healthy New Year for all of us. ♥️
I agree – There are so many wonderful apple recipes (apple pie, apple crisp, waldorf salad, apple sauce, etc.).
Lucky you to have an apple tree in your back yard! I am lucky to be able to buy them in my store all year.
I am very fortunate to have two apples trees in my back yard. A previous owner of my house planted them.
Apples are a favorite around here too… but they don’t keep as well as in the north… unless refrigerated
Even up here, I think that apples are often kept in refrigerated storage.
Since apples don’t do well here, they’re shipped in, and toward the end of summer it’s sometimes possible to tell that the quality’s going downhill because of long storage. When I can, I prefer older varieties, too, as they seem to have far more flavor than some of the “new” apples. Still, I always have some around; they’re a wonderful fruit.
I like the old varieties, too – North Spy Apples, Pound Apples, Cortland Apples, etc.
Great that you are still eating from your apple tree. Apples which go straight from backyard to plate are so full of flavour.
I agree! They’re the best.
The apple is a wonderful fruit. Having access to fresh fruits and veggies all year long is a blessing.
Last night I told my sis about the Apple Johnny Cake I made by your recipe. I enjoyed sharing my experience at baking it.
Thanks so much for sharing wonderful recipes, thoughts and things with us. 🙂
Your comment sent me to your blog to reread your post about making Apple Johnny Cake. I’d originally read it in 2016 when you’d originally posted it, and it was fun to read it again. In case other readers want to read the post, here’s the link:
https://joysofcreating.com/2016/04/21/apple-johnny-cake-from-a-hundred-years-ago/
I love the variety of apples available. One orange or strawberry tastes like all the others but there are SO many different apples!
Thanks so much. It was fun to make the cake and share about it too. It’s hard to believe that it was so long ago. Time surely does fly here in blogland.
Thanks so much for the link-back. You made my day! 😀
You inspired me to look up the history of the Delicious apple (which I avoid whenever I can, but that’s not important now). Up until this year it was the most frequently sold variety in the US. There are many sub-varieties, but the first was introduced in 1880. So that could have been on the table 100 years ago. I think what are now labeled heirlooms are from the 19th century. Interesting post!
This is fascinating. I had no clue that Delicious apples have been around so long, and that they are now considered “heirlooms.” Somehow I’m almost appalled that an almost tasteless apple is an heirloom. Thanks for researching this.
Glad I found you Sheryl! I have clicked the “Notify me of new posts via email” and hoping that will reconnect us.
It’s wonderful to have you back! I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you over the years via our blogs. I struggle to understand software platforms, and how they sometimes make it difficult for long-time readers to find each others blogs.
How nice it would be to have apples growing in my backyard…you are lucky to have them.
I’m very fortunate that the previous owner of my house planted two apple trees. 🙂
Seems that time has changed many things, but not the good ol’ friend. 🙂
Apples are a really tasty and versatile fruit.
Informative!