Anyone growing this? Got a friend searching for this apple to grow. He’s from Kazakhstan and remembers them fondly.
Here’s an article and picture from Specialty Produce.
Aport apples are a large varietal, averaging around 200 to 300 grams in weight. Some grow as heavy as 800 grams. They are circular with a slight heart shape as the apple tapers towards the base. The fruit has a bright red hue with faint dark red stripes and small patches of lime green and yellow peeking through, especially at the shoulders. Aport apples are waxy, shiny, and smooth and may have small yellow dots speckled throughout their body. When freshly picked, These fruits have a light green-brown elliptical-shaped leaf attached to their short brown stem. Underneath the medium-thick skin, their flesh is crisp, pale yellow-green, fine-grained, and aqueous, encasing a central core filled with small, oval brown-black seeds. Aport apples have a fragrant, honey-like aroma. Their flavor can vary from sour to sweet with occasional notes of honey, hazelnut, anise, and berry.
Seasons/Availability
Aport apples are harvested in the fall and may be stored until mid-winter.
Current Facts
Aport apples are botanically classified as Malus domestica and belong to the Rosaceae family. This hybrid is a cross between the wild apple, Malus sieversii, and a Russian variety. Primarily valued for their culinary properties, large size, and distinct taste, Aport apples are one of Kazakhstan’s most famous cultivars. They were recognized in 1990 at the World Exhibition in Paris and were brought to the Kremlin in Russia as a sweet snack for powerful leaders. Some scientists believe that the wild apples growing in the forests of Kazakhstan are the ancestors of the most popular apples sold in supermarkets today. They hypothesize that by collecting the seeds of wild Aport apples in these forests, they can capture the genetic secrets needed to breed new flavorful apple varieties.
Nutritional Value
The nutritional value of Aport apples is not widely researched, though they likely have the same properties as apples in general. Apples are a good source of vitamin C, which is important for collagen production, iron absorption, bone and teeth health, and preventing damage from free radicals. They provide the body with potassium, a nutrient that helps with muscle contractions, nerve signaling, reducing blood pressure, and preventing stroke, osteoporosis, and kidney stones. Apples are high in fiber, which regulates digestion and may lower cholesterol levels. This fruit is a source of quercetin and chlorogenic acid, antioxidants that may reduce inflammation, prevent viral infections, and lower blood sugar.
Applications
Aport apples can be eaten fresh, dried, or cooked. They may be consumed whole, sliced into wedges, or diced up. In their fresh form, this variety can be served with cheeses and spreads, diced on top of cereal and oatmeal, or chopped up for salads. Aport apples can be incorporated into desserts like pie, cake, mousse, and ice cream. They may be baked in sweet sauces, cooked into jams, roasted with meats, fried into fritters, or simmered into soups. Dried Aport apples can be eaten as a chewy snack, added to trail mix, or tossed on top of rice dishes. Their tangy flavor may bode well for ciders and sour cocktails. Aport apples pair well with beef, pork, veal, green onions, garlic, carrots, cucumber, red pepper, raisins, nuts, honey, vanilla, and cinnamon. The fresh apples will last 2-4 months when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Aport apples come from a city in Southern Kazakhstan called Almaty, nestled alongside the Trans-lli Alatau mountains. The name of the city translates to father of apples because the fruit was such a defining part of the town. During the Soviet Era, these apples were grown in orchards around the city. There came a decline in apple orchards within Almaty because of a shift to private ownership. Lack of organization and adequate water supply further reduced yields of high-quality apples, as did the trees’ ability to consistently produce crops. Aport apples can take up to 10 years to bear fruit after they are initially harvested whereas other varieties may take only three years. Though only 5% of the apple orchards in Kazakhstan are currently Aports, entrepreneurs, grassroots businesses, and horticulturalists are revitalizing production in Almaty. They are providing new orchards with appropriate irrigation and conditions needed to produce higher yields.
Geography/History
Aport apples are native to Almaty, Kazakhstan. They were first planted by a Russian immigrant named Yegor Redko in the mid-1800s. Redko planted seeds along the Malaya Almatinka River in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains, mixing seeds from a Russian variety with native wild apple trees. Aport apples grow best in mountain zones ranging from 850 to 1,200 meters in altitude, particularly suited to the foothills of the Dzungarian Alatau and Trans-Ili Alatau mountains. They can be found growing wild in the forests of Kazakhstan and are also produced on a small commercial scale. After their initial cultivation, Aport apples gained prominence among local farmers, becoming one of the city’s most renowned products and winning international awards. When private owners took over apple production, the lack of knowledge on how to grow the trees, along with their slow-growing nature, led to a decline in the production of Aport apples. Today, Aport apples are still grown on a small scale in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and can also be found in select regions of Uzbekistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.