This massive apple catches folks eyes all the time. I like to double check that they know what they're actually buying - yes it's big but it's also sour and dry! We don't really recommend it for fresh eating but it is some folks' favorite for baking. It's also another one of those apples I refer to as a "memory" apple.
Approximate Ripening Date: September 5th
Flavor: This apple is hard to even classify as tart - it's truly what I'd call a sour apple. It's flavor and mealy texture make it not ideal for fresh eating.
Baking: According to Rowan Jacobsen in Apples of Uncommon Character (2014) "its very dryness makes it one of the best baking apples, where that dry flesh magically transforms into a caramelized, creamy delight." I've never had quite that luck with baking the Wolf River but I think I'm going to have to give it another try. It's also a popular apple to use for making dried apples.
History: Discovered near the Wolf River in Fremont, WI in 1856
Featured Recipe:
Fresh Apple Squares
by Becky Shutz
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
5 medium apples - pared and sliced
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup powdered sugar - sifted
Blend eggs, sugar, and oil until light and fluffy. Sift flour, soda, salt and cinnamon together, and stir into egg mixture. Beat well. Fold in apple and raisins; pour into a 13x9x2 inch greased and floured pan. Bake at 350-degree for 1 hour. Cool and sprinkle sifted powdered sugar on top. Cut into squares.
