Lady Williams Apple

Photo: Anonymous

About

Chance seedling from Donnybrook, Western Australia, about 1935; (thought to be a cross between Rokewood and Granny Smith).

Originally grown on the Williams family farm in Donnybrook, the farm was later sold by the Williams family and is now owned by Barry and Dale Green of Boronia farmstays.

http://www.boroniafarm.com.au/default.htm

Information

Translations: Κυρία Williams Apple, Lady Williams &, السيدة وليامز أبل, Doamna Williams Apple, 여자가 애플을 윌리암스, Ina Williams Apple, ליידי ויליאמס Apple, Лади Вилијамс јабука, レディーは、Appleウィリアムズ, लेडी एप्पल विलियम्स, Señora Williams Apple, Леді Вільямс Apple, 威廉姆斯夫人苹果, Леди Уильямс Apple, Senyora Williams Apple, Мария Уилямс Apple

Physical Description

This apple is picked from February 1 on; it will keep until the summer apples ripen and it actually improves in flavor in storage. It is very tart until fully ripe; then it becomes sweeter and is called tart-sweet. The skin is tough and the flesh is a bid dry. The skin is also a bright pink-red with strips of white over the surface. It is smooth, firm and crispy.

Colors: Pink-red with strips of white

Tasting Notes

Flavors: Tart-sweet after it ages and ripens a bit

Mouthfeel: Firm, Cris, Tart

Food complements: Cinnamon, Brown sugar, And all kinds of desserts, Pies especially

Wine complements: Would not use with wine

Beverage complements: Brandy might be used with and perhaps gingr ale

Substitutes: Golden delicious, Fuji, Empire, And granny smith

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: february

Peak: opctober

Choosing: Look for those who are firm and have no holes, or bruising. Also the color should be pink-red in color, more on the pink side.

Buying: Lady Williams Apple are readily available in supermarkets, roadside stands, small grocery stores, or from farmers markets. If you can find an Amish market, they should have the nicest and freshest.

Procuring: Sunlight will help these apples to grow their best fruit. They grow 10 ft. tall, so they need plenty of room overhead.
The soil pH should be in the range of 6.5 - 7. They grow well in any type soil, but if it is clay, it should be loosened. It needs to be watered thoroughly.
It's ready to harvest in October, though blooms will appear in the spring.

Preparation and Use

When you prepare an apple for cooking, you need to remove the core. That can be done in several ways. You can use an apple corer, which you insert into the middle of the apple, and it removes the core. Or, you can remove the core by hand with knife; just cut the apple open, then into quarters and remove the seeds. You usually need to peel them also when cooking; there is an apple peeler available that removes the skin and the core at the same time. Apple Bread, apple pancakes, apple orchard punch are some of the foods you can make with this apple.

Cleaning: It is always a good idea to wash the apple even if you are going to peel it, to remove pesticides. Scrub the outside of the apple but be careful not to bruise the skin.

Conserving and Storing

This apple can also be canned or pressed and made into cider or juice. The apple itself stores well and in fact, the taste actually improves with age, becoming a little sweeter, making the taste "tart-sweet". You can also make apple jelly, jam or dried apples, which are not difficult to make at all.

Social/Political

The apple was linked to the oldest story in the Bible, that of Adam and Eve. Apple Pie is perhaps one of the most loved desserts, and is often referred to the US - Mom and apple pie are to be revered. Since it is also a Cider, it could be used in Ale houses as men visited and discussed the politics of the day.

History: The Lady Williams is an offspring of the Granny Smith. It was bred in Australia in 1935 and it also has an offspring, Pink Lady.
The apple tree is the earliest fruit tree cultivated. It has been around for over 4000 years, and there are more than a thouand variations of apples. It has been around since the Iron Age and was also cultivated in Europe. The Pilgrims brought it to the US in 1620. One of America's favorite legends, that of Johnny Appleseed has some truth to it. John Chapman was credited with planting over 10,000 sq. miles of apple orchards.