Key Characteristics
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Flavor and Aroma: The apple offers a refreshing balance of sweetness and acidity. Its flavor profile is often described as perfumed, with notes of pear, strawberry, aniseed, and fennel.
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Texture: The flesh is cream-colored, fine-grained, dense, and distinctly juicy with a crunchy, crisp consistency when fresh.
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Appearance: Fruits are medium to large, round to conical, with a greenish-yellow background covered by a substantial orange-red blush and stripes. The skin is thin and can be prone to bruising.
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Harvest and Availability: As an early-season apple, it is typically harvested in late August through mid-September.
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Origin: It was bred in the 1950s by the French nurseryman Georges Delbard, resulting from a cross between 'Golden Delicious' and 'Stark Jonagrimes' apples.
Culinary Uses
The Delbard Estivale is primarily a dessert apple, best enjoyed fresh due to its excellent flavor and crisp texture when eaten soon after picking. While less common, it can also be used in various cooked preparations such as:
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Cakes, tarts, and pies
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Jams, jellies, and preserves
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Sauces for roasted mea
Storage
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ts
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Fruit salads, smoothies, and juices