Tydeman's Late Orange Apples
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Tydeman’s Late Orange apples vary in size and shape depending on growing conditions and average 5 to 8 centimeters in diameter. The variety has a round-to-conical appearance and features russet streaks that emerge from the deep stem cavity and spill across the shoulders. The stem is woody, fibrous, and stout, and the apple’s skin is semi-thick, taut, and smooth. Where the russet occurs on the skin is rough, raised, and textured, similar to the feel of sandpaper. The surface has a yellow-green base hue enveloped in patches of muted red blush overlaid with dark red, broken striping. The amount of blush varies between the fruits, influenced by sun exposure during cultivation. Beneath the surface, the white-to-pale-yellow flesh is firm, fine-grained, and aqueous, with a breaking, crisp, and succulent consistency. The flesh oxidizes upon exposure to air and encases a central fibrous core filled with black-brown seeds. Tydeman’s Late Orange apples are edible raw once ripe, but have the most palatable flavor after being stored. The variety is sharp, acidic, and tangy straight off the tree. After storage, the sharpness mellows, giving way to rich, balanced levels of sugar and acidity, with fruity and spice-filled nuances reminiscent of Cox’s Orange Pippin apples.
Seasons/Availability
Tydeman’s Late Orange apples are harvested in the fall, typically from late September through October. Once picked, the variety can be professionally stored through the spring.
Current Facts
Tydeman’s Late Orange apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are an English heirloom variety belonging to the family Rosaceae. The late-season cultivar is a prized dessert apple typically stored for several weeks to months and consumed during the winter. The variety reaches peak flavor around the holiday season and was intentionally bred in the 20th century to have the flavor of a Cox’s Orange Pippin apple with improved cultivation characteristics. Tydeman’s Late Orange apples are disease-resistant, produce high yields, crack less than Cox’s Orange Pippin, and can survive warmer summertime temperatures. The variety is sometimes called Tydeman’s Late Cox or Tydeman’s Orange in markets and is still grown commercially on a small scale in the United Kingdom. Chefs and apple enthusiasts seek Tydeman’s Late Orange apples for their versatility in a wide array of fresh and cooked culinary preparations.
Nutritional Value
Tydeman’s Late Orange apples have not been studied for their nutritional properties. Apples, in general, are a source of fiber to aid digestion and contain vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, which protect cells against free radical damage, contribute to energy production, strengthen the immune system, promote faster wound healing, and support organ health. Apples also provide minerals in varying amounts, including calcium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. These minerals help the body boost overall health, regulate nerve functions, build red blood cells, produce the protein hemoglobin, which transports oxygen through the bloodstream, and support bone and tooth development.
Applications
Tydeman’s Late Orange apples have a rich, balanced, sweet-and-sour taste suited for both fresh and cooked preparations. The variety is best after a period of storage, as this time allows the flesh to mellow in acidity and sharpness and develop a concentrated sweetness. Tydeman’s Late Orange apples can be eaten out of hand after storage and make a light snack. The apples are also sliced for salads, served on cheese boards, diced for grain bowls, or layered into sandwiches. In England, the variety is pressed into juice or included in cider blends. Tydeman’s Late Orange is also simmered into jellies, jams, and syrups, or cooked into sauces. Sweet preparations include adding the apples to pies, crumbles, and crisps or incorporating them into fritters, cakes, muffins, and bread. The apples can also be sliced and cooked in butter and spices to create a savory topping for ice cream or as a filling. Tydeman’s Late Orange apples pair well with nuts such as almonds, pecans, and walnuts, cheeses like cheddar, brie, blue, and goat, and flavorings like maple syrup, honey, vanilla, and brown sugar. Fresh Tydeman’s Late Orange apples will keep for several weeks to months when stored in a cool, dry, and dark location, such as a cellar or the refrigerator’s crisper drawer. In professional storage, the variety can last for 3 to 5 months.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Tydeman’s Late Orange apples are one of several apple varieties bred and released through the East Malling Research Station. This research center was established in 1913 by fruit growers to address common problems in fruit cultivation. Initially, the station was called the East Malling and Wye Fruit Experimental Station, and later, in 1920, it became an independent research institute under the name Kent Incorporated Society for Promoting Experiments in Horticulture. The name was eventually changed to East Malling Research Station, and it has undergone several changes in ownership throughout its history. The East Malling Research Station is known worldwide for releasing the M-series rootstocks for apple cultivation. The station was led by Sir Ronald G. Hatton, who traveled throughout Europe to collect various apple rootstocks. These rootstocks were evaluated and trialed in various tests, including in an underground laboratory where windows were constructed so researchers could study the growth of the trees' roots. The first nine types within the M-series were recommended and published in 1917, and the series was named “M” for “Malling.” The research station went on to release 27 numbered types, and M-series rootstocks became among the most widely used worldwide for commercial production and home garden cultivation.
Geography/History
Tydeman’s Late Orange apples are native to England and were developed at the East Malling Research Station in Kent. The variety was bred by Henry Marcus Tydeman, often referred to as H.M. Tydeman, through a cross between Laxton’s Superb apples pollinated by Cox’s Orange Pippin apples. Tydeman’s Late Orange apples were named after their breeder, one of the most well-known apple breeders in England in the early 20th century. The apples were also named after their harvest time and their Cox’s Orange Pippin apple heritage, a revered variety in English markets. Tydeman’s Late Orange apples were created sometime around 1929 and were officially released in 1949 as an improved version of Cox’s Orange Pippin. Later in 1965, the variety received an Award of Garden Merit by the British Royal Horticultural Society for its favorable cultivation traits. Today, Tydeman’s Late Orange apples have spread in cultivation worldwide. When in season, the apples are available directly from growers and through select retailers and distributors. The Tydeman’s Late Orange apples featured in the photograph above were sourced through Brogdale Collections in Kent, England.
