Sunrise Apples
Estimated Inventory, 40 lbs : 0
Description/Taste
Sunrise apples vary in size and shape, depending on growing conditions, but generally average 6 to 12 centimeters in diameter and range from 180 to 220 grams in weight. The variety is round or conical, featuring flat, sometimes slanted shoulders with a narrow base. Sunrise apples can be slightly irregular in shape and bear faint ribbing around the long, slender, green-brown stem. The skin is semi-thin, smooth, glossy, and taut, showcasing a golden yellow base enveloped in patches of dark red blush. The amount of blush and its color intensity vary with sun exposure, and some fruits also bear red striping. As the fruit matures, it develops a waxy feel. Underneath the surface, the ivory to cream-colored flesh is lightly aqueous, firm, dense, and fine-grained with a crisp, succulent consistency. The flesh also envelops a central fibrous core filled with tiny black-brown seeds. Sunrise apples are edible raw once ripe and have a refreshing, balanced, sweet, and tart flavor with subtle fruity nuances of strawberry.
Seasons/Availability
Sunrise apples are available in the late summer through early fall, harvested between late August and early September.
Current Facts
Sunrise apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are a Canadian variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. The early-season cultivar was released in the late 20th century as an apple to fill a market gap for a fresh-eating variety in the late summer through early fall. Sunrise apples produce heavy crops, which can be left on the tree for multiple pickings. Like other early-season varieties, Sunrise apples have a short shelf life once harvested and are primarily grown through small-scale farms and home gardeners as a dessert cultivar. The variety is favored for its crisp flesh and balanced, sweet-tart taste and is incorporated into a wide array of sweet or savory culinary preparations. It is important to note that another English apple variety called Sunrise dates to the Victorian era. Most Sunrise apples seen in fresh markets are the Canadian variety.
Nutritional Value
Sunrise apples have not been studied for their nutritional properties. The apple’s pigmented skin indicates the presence of antioxidants to protect the body’s overall health and reduce inflammation. Apples, in general, are a source of vitamins A, B, C, E, and K to guard cells against free radical damage, strengthen the immune system, contribute to energy production, aid in faster wound healing, and maintain healthy organs. Apples also provide varying amounts of minerals like copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and potassium. These minerals help the body balance fluid levels, produce proteins for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, support bone and teeth health, and build red blood cells.
Applications
Sunrise apples have a mild, sweet, and tart flavor suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The apple’s flavor will change in strength, depending on growing conditions and age after harvest. The older the apple is, the milder and softer it may become. Sunrise apples are preferred as a fresh-eating cultivar and are often chilled before serving to create a refreshing experience. The variety can be sliced and tossed into salads, eaten as a snack with nut butter, shredded into slaws, or layered into sandwiches. The apples are also served on cheese boards or used as a topping over parfaits, grain bowls, oatmeal, and other breakfast dishes. In addition to raw preparations, Sunrise apples are sometimes used in cooked preparations, but it is worth noting that their flesh typically breaks down into a soft sauce. The variety should be combined with other apples that hold their shape when used in cooked dishes to create a more pleasing texture. Sunrise apples can be mixed with firm and tart apples in crisps, crumbles, and pies, or incorporated into muffins and cakes. The variety is also simmered into apple sauce to serve with roasted meat or cooked into apple butter and other preserves. While less common, some home cooks dry Sunrise apples into chips and store the fruit as a crunchy snack. Sunrise apples pair well with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom, flavorings including maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and honey, and other fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, peaches, and nectarines. Whole, unwashed Sunrise apples have a short shelf life and will only keep for 1 to 2 weeks when stored in a cool, dry, and dark location, such as the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Sunrise apples acquired their commercial moniker after their early-season arrival. Sunrise was chosen because the act of the sun appearing in the morning captures the essence of the apple’s early nature. The variety’s bi-colored, yellow-red nature also evokes the feeling of a sunrise’s morning glow. Sunrise apples are part of a specialty line managed by the Summerland Varieties Corp. The variety is categorized under the Summerland™ Series and is marketed along with other cultivars such as Spartan, Sumac, Silken, Shamrock, Scarlett Sentinel, and Summerland McIntosh. Summerland Varieties Corp is a variety rights management company that exclusively propagates, distributes, and markets varieties created through the Pacific Agri-Food Research Center in British Columbia, Canada. The company is known for its presence in apple and cherry cultivation, but also works with other tree fruits. Commercializing apple varieties, such as Sunrise, through Summerland Varieties Corp. ensures that breeders are protected and compensated accordingly for their work. There is also more control over the story, cultivation, and distribution of a variety worldwide, allowing quality to be maintained.
Geography/History
Sunrise apples are native to Canada and were developed through the Summerland Research and Development Center, which is part of the larger Pacific Agri-Food Research Center in Summerland, British Columbia. The variety was created from a cross made in 1968 by K.O. Lapins, first by crossing McIntosh and Golden Delicious, and then breeding the product of that cross with a variety labeled PCF-3-120. This numbered variety was given to the research center by Purdue Central Farm. Seedlings from this cross first fruited in 1973, and a few trees were propagated for further evaluation in 1975. Later in 1980, a seedling named 8C-27-96 was given to growers for field testing. 8C-27-96 was officially released in 1991 and branded under the name Sunrise for increased consumer appeal. Today, Sunrise apples are cultivated throughout Canada and the United States and are primarily grown through select specialty farms and home gardens. The variety is occasionally grown commercially, but is most commonly sold through farmers’ markets due to the apple’s short shelf life. When in season, Sunrise apples are found through fresh markets and wholesalers.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Sunrise Apples. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Tasty Yummies |
|
Red Wine Poached Apples and Pears with Cinnamon Whipped Coconut Cream |
| Balkan Lunch Box |
|
Walnut Stuffed Apples |
| A Latte Food |
|
Caramel Apple Ice Cream |
Sunrise Apples for sale around the world shared on the Specialty Produce App
