[Sca-cooks] Apples....

[Terry Decker]

For most of period, pippin is a reference to any apple from a tree grown 
from seed (pip).  In the 16th Century, the term came to refer to a hard, 
late ripening, long lasting apple of acid flavor (Davidson).  The original 
pippins were mostly cider apples.

Most of the varieties currently referred to as "Pippins" are of 18th, 19th 
and 20th Century origin.

So, depending on when the recipes were written down, your friend may want to 
go with a period apple, such as an Annurca (Italian, probably the apple 
referenced by Pliny) or a White Pearmain (England, 1204) or work 
specifically with one of the "pippins."  The Newton (or Albemarle) Pippin 
isn't period (early 18th Century) or European (bing a NA cultivar), but it 
may be a good choice for availability.

Bear

>
> Hi, gang.  Got a call from a friend, who's a good SCA foodie, although not 
> on this list.  She would like me to ask you guys something for her, so 
> here goes.
>
>
>
> She wants to do some work with some period recipes that use pippin apples. 
> She cannot get pippin apples here (or at least, not at this time of year, 
> although neither of us recall ever seeing them for sale locally).  What's 
> the most reasonable equivalent she's likely to find in American produce 
> department?
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Maire