Eat a Red Apple Day is annually celebrated on December 1st in the United States. This day celebrates and promotes the consumption of delicious red apples across the country.
When one thinks of an apple it isn't the vibrant green color of the Granny Smith apple that jumps to mind, nor is it the mottled red and yellow stripes of the Fuji Apple. No, indeed. The apple that comes to mind is the Red Delicious apple!
On Eat a Red Apple Day, December 1, we are honoring our teachers favorite desk decor and our doctor's best time-honored heart-healthy snack all in one crisp bite. This is a day dedicated to celebrate everything made with apples and it is a treat for all the apple lovers of the country.
| Event | Eat a Red Apple Day |
|---|---|
| Date | December 1, 2022 |
| Day | Thursday |
| Significance | The day celebrates and promotes the consumption of delicious red apples. |
| Observed by | United States |
Eat a Red Apple Day History:
Due to the genetic variability in Central Asia, this region of the world is generally considered the center of the origin for apples. The apple is thought to have been domesticated since 4000–10000 years ago in the Tian Shan mountains, and then it is believed to have travelled along the Silk Road to Europe, with hybridization and introgression of wild crabapples from Siberia, the Caucasus and Europe. There is indirect evidence of apple cultivation in the third millennium BCE in the Middle East.
Apples were first introduced to North America by colonists in the 17th century, and the first apple orchard on the North American continent was planted in Boston by Reverend William Blaxton in 1625. The only apples native to North America are crab apples, which were once called "common apples". However, America's love affair with apples began in the early 19th century with the travels of Johnny Appleseed, who planted trees in states trailing from the East Coast to the Midwest. Yet these apples weren't the sort we're celebrating now as they were small and tart, used primarily for brewing cider.
In 1875, however, the gleaming, sweet, crunchy red fruit we know and love today was discovered in small town Peru, Iowa on a farm owned by Jesse Hiatt when a chance seedling took root. He carted the flamboyant apple to a fruit show in Missouri after his first true harvest and farmers from around the world were taken by it, wanting to plant trees on their own land. And thus, the poster child for America's apples was born, aptly named the Red Delicious Apple.
By the time the Great Depression rolled around, the red apple was ubiquitous all over the nation. Red Delicious held its position as the most popular apple in the world well into the 1980's, when its popularity began to decline. How popular was it, exactly? Washington State is one of the biggest producers of apples, and the Red Delicious constituted 75% of the state's production! While it has shrunk to 1/3rd of that amount since, it's still a massive part of the world's production of apples.
Eat a Red Apple Day Significance:
The first thing that probably all of us have heard about apples is that they are very nutritious and healthy and that's obviously true as by consuming apples there are many health benefits for our body. Like Apples are a rich source of polyphenols, an important group of antioxidants. Antioxidants are compounds that protect your cells from free radicals which are harmful molecules that contribute to the development of chronic conditions, like heart disease and cancer. Further they help in building immunity for your body thus making your body strong to fight diseases.
Red apple or apple in general is a very delicious fruit as well and it definitely deserves celebration for it. Apples are also an important ingredient in many desserts, such as apple pie, apple crumble, apple crisp and apple cake. When cooked, some apple cultivars easily form a puree known as apple sauce. Apples are also made into apple butter and apple jelly. They are often baked or stewed and are also cooked in some meat dishes. Dried apples can be eaten or reconstituted.
Apples appear in many religious traditions, often as a mystical or forbidden fruit. One of the problems identifying apples in religion, mythology and folktales is that as late as the 17th century, the word "apple" was used as a generic term for all (foreign) fruit other than berries, but including nuts. This term may even have extended to plant galls, as they were thought to be of plant origin (see oak apple). For instance, when tomatoes were introduced into Europe, they were called "love apples". Secular art as well made use of the apple as symbol of love and sexuality. It is often an attribute associated with Venus who is shown holding it.
Whether you live in a big city or a small, rural area, there are probably members of your community who work hard all year to produce fruits and vegetables that are homegrown, organic, and saturated with the love of well-worn hands. On this special plant-based holiday, we have the opportunity to connect with our local farmers and enjoy the spoils of their labor. Hence this day serves as a very nice opportunity to support the local apple or other fruit in general farming communities of the country.
Eat a Red Apple Day Activities:
While the local produce department is fantastic in a pinch, the Red Delicious apple did originate in a small, locally owned and operated farm. Pay tribute to its origins by purchasing your celebratory stock from a farmer in your own area. The apples are likely to be organic and even taste a little sweeter! So instead of having a packaged apple try to get fresh apples for this day.
There are many dishes available today which includes apple in it! So use this opportunity to try out those dishes. And when we think of apple dishes its apple pie only which comes to our mind first. Nothing says American comfort food quite like a doughy, cinnamony apple pie. So gather the family in the kitchen, preheat the oven, and get to peeling! In about an hour, you'll be in warm, gooey, red apple heaven.
Apples are much more delicious when shared! So buy a bag and hand them out at the office or at school so that everyone can enjoy this delicious all-American apple. In this way you will be also able to make people aware about the importance of consuming apples! So don't forget to share these delicious red apples with your loved ones!
Most Searched FAQs on Eat a Red Apple Day:
1. When is Eat a Red Apple Day celebrated?
Eat a Red Apple Day is annually celebrated on December 1st in US.
2. Can I keep my apples in refrigerator?
In general, apples should be kept at room temperature in a dry place with adequate airflow. The refrigerator tends to change the texture of the fruit from crisp and smooth to grainy and watery.
3. What is the most popular kind of an apple?
The gala apple is now America's most-grown apple, followed by the Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji and Honeycrisp, according to the US Apple Association.