Discovered in the late 1700s near Esopus, New York, the Esopus Spitzenburg is reputed to have been the favorite apple of Thomas Jefferson. The fruit is fairly large, oblong/connic, with orange to red skin, carmine stripes and strong russeted dots that look like stars. A hard apple that’s very crisp, spicy, citrus flavored, juicy and has a yellowish flesh. Aromatic and exceptional flavor. About the best to eat out of hand, and very good for all culinary purposes, in particular pies, juice and hard cider. It keeps its shape when cooked. Like many late-season apples, they improve with a few weeks of cool storage, which brings them to their full, rich flavor. They have a tendency to bear heavily one year then lightly the next. Ripen in late October through November. Will keep 3 months or more. Store for at least a month before eating.

The 100+ year untended grandmother tree grows in the town of Humbug, in Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park on the San Juan Ridge of Nevada County at 3250’ elevation. Humbug is the site of one of the original and largest hydraulic gold mines, and a long-term, large mining town, abundant with wonderful heirloom fruits and nuts that we will be introducing over the next few years.