Looking for a New Yorker article about the man who knew his heirloom apples.

October 14, 2010 8:48 PM

New Yorker readers: do you remember an article about an "apple man", who had extensive knowledge of heirloom varieties, and could recommend what type of apple would be best suited for different locales?

I remember the article discussing how, throughout New England and the Northwest, there are a lot of old, abandoned fruit trees, growing varieties of apples unlike anything in the super market. It was probably published withing the last six years.

posted by unmake to Media & Arts (11 answers total)

You're sure this wasn't the Michael Pollan chapter in his book The Botany of Desire? Or this article from the New York Times? Or this from NPR? You probably want to Google this place and I think the locale is Geneva NY though I remember some discussion of Rome NY as well.
posted by jessamyn at 8:53 PM on October 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I'm almost certain this was a New Yorker article: 5+ pages, mostly about this one individual, with a lot of embedded information about the history of apples embedded. Definitely written, not about Michael Pollan, and not in an interview format.
posted by unmake at 9:07 PM on October 14, 2010

Best answer: Maybe John Bunker? Atlantic Monthly
posted by iconomy at 9:16 PM on October 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Here's the FPP about that Bunker piece. I could have sworn that was the one with the highly popular comment by the guy who learned that he'd only been deathly allergic to the skins of apples but could eat the meat without issue, and how that discovery caused him to go on an ecstatic apple binge that saw him carrying a paring knife around with him at all times.
posted by Rhomboid at 9:44 PM on October 14, 2010

Article from Saveur about hunting for heirloom apples in the rural south
posted by LobsterMitten at 9:55 PM on October 14, 2010

Article from Smithsonian magazine about old varieties of apples in Virginia
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:00 PM on October 14, 2010

Response by poster: It just occurred to me that I do read the Atlantic occasionally, and sure enough it was the article iconomy linked to. Excellent work!
posted by unmake at 10:22 PM on October 14, 2010

article by John Bunker on the website of Fedco Trees, a mail-order orchard in Maine
heirloom Maine apples by photo (click on the picture for a description of the history, flavor, and best growing conditions)
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:27 PM on October 14, 2010

And here's the above referenced comment from herrdoktor regarding his pocket knife carrying apple binging in reponse to the post about LA times article "Fruit varietals: Identity crisis in the produce aisle"
posted by Disco Moo at 11:01 PM on October 14, 2010

I know this isn't what you are looking for (and have since found!) but your question reminded me of a great article from the New Yorker about David Karp, the Fruit Detective.
posted by Kangaroo at 3:25 AM on October 15, 2010

Tom Burford perhaps?
posted by thefool at 11:23 AM on October 15, 2010