Practical Pomology: A Field Guide by Sean Turley
If you haven’t yet been caught up in what can only be described as “New England’s Apple Renaissance,” you’re in for a sweet (or sharp!) treat. Commercial growers, cider makers, pie bakers, and fruit lovers from all walks of life have coalesced around a burgeoning recognition that some of the tastiest, most resilient, and…occasionally weirdest varieties of apples still persist on abandoned trees and in backyards across the region. Rediscovering these cultivars, lost at some point in the 400 years of apple production in New England, is a life’s quest for some, but has now taken root more widely at regional events (like CiderDays in Franklin County, Massachusetts, or Maine Apple Camp), in the marketplace (FEDCO Trees offers nearly 100 varieties), and on the farm (Out on a Limb Apples may have the most diverse orchard in New England).
If you have yet to experience the buttery flavor of an Ashmead’s Kernel or the sharp bite of a Cole’s Quince, Sean Turley’s beautiful field guide will both introduce you to the vocabulary, botany, and typology of apples, and undoubtedly set you on a quest to at least take a little bite from the fruit, no matter how ugly, hanging on to any old tree hidden away somewhere in the New England woods. With illustrations by renowned apple guru John Bunker depicting the distinguishing characteristics of the apple tree, and striking photos from William Mullen showcasing the diverse fruit to be found around New England, this is a beautiful book that will make you reconsider your relationship with the Honeycrisps on your kitchen counter.
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Recommended by Alex Redfield