Pick a Rome apple from a tree when it’s ripe in late September or early October, and your first impression will likely be that…this is the epitome of a mediocre, bland tasting fruit. And, well, you would be right. The Rome, also known as Rome Beauty or even Roman Beauty, will never be known for eating out of hand. But where this heritage variety excels like few others is in the oven and for cooking in general.
We’ll forgive the Rome for coming into existence outside of the Blue Ridge Mountains as the first tree originated in Ohio in 1817. But this large, roundish, bright red fruit with numerous white dots quickly became popular in our region as it grows best at higher elevations and typically utterly fails in the lowlands.
Another plus for the Rome is that it’s a late bloomer – yet one more reason for its popularity here. Late frosts are common in these highlands, and many years when they occur in Southwest Virginia where Elaine and I live, our backyard Rome has yet to send forth blooms. Also in its favor is that this tree “holds” its apples well, in that once it sets fruits they tend to thrive and ripen well. Furthermore, a Rome stores well in the refrigerator or the traditional root cellar – a crucial trait when apples were a subsistence food in the Blue Ridge.
Elaine has used Rome Beauties to make pies and applesauce, and also simply cooked them in the oven with brown sugar and cinnamon toppings. I like to add a dash of vanilla to the latter recipe while Elaine regards this as culinary heresy. Try my way first, though, and you’ll never regret it. But both our favorite ways to use this variety is in my wife’s recipe below.
Rome Apple Nut Bread
Ingredients:
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup of wild black walnuts or hickory nuts (“domestic” nuts will work well, too)
- 3 cups peeled, shredded apples (about 4)
Directions:
Grease two 8 x 4x 2-inch bread pans or three 7 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 2-inch pans.
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine all dry ingredients except sugars in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, combine oil, eggs, sugar, and grated apple and mix. Then add flour just until moist.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes at 325 degrees. Test with a toothpick.
Note: This recipe is excerpted from Living the Locavore Lifestyle, which Bruce and Elaine co-wrote. For more information on the book, contact them at bruceingramoutdoors@gmail.com.
