Canada’s Winter Apple: The Red Prince

Apples are commonly associated with the fall harvest season, symbolizing the start of the school year. Now, a new exclusive Canadian apple is available through the mid-winter to June and it comes bearing an imperial name:  Red Prince. Just over 100,000 cartons of these apples will journey from their growing site in Thornbury, Ontario on the shores of Georgian Bay to retailers across the continent. What also makes these apples so unique is the time they take to mature. Like other apple varieties, they are harvested during the fall but are laid to ‘sleep’ during the early winter until January, allowing the natural sugars and acids to enhance the apple’s flavour. It’s a premium apple with a slightly tart taste and sweet finish.

Grown by Canadian company Global Fruit, a business owned by Irma and Marius Botden who have the exclusive rights to grow this variety of apples in Canada, the Red Prince apple orchards are also known for sustainable growing practices.

Full of fibre and rich in antioxidants, apples are a perfect choice for a snack, dessert or even incorporated into a meal. Eating apples boosts the immune system with the antioxidant quercetin, helps detoxify the liver, curb cancer and reduce cholesterol. At the most basic level, apples even contributes to healthier teeth since constantly biting and chewing stimulates saliva production and lowering levels of bacteria.

Get your apple fix this winter by trying a Red Prince apple, available now at Farmboy, Loblaws, Sobey’s. Valu-Mart and Wal-Mart.

Red Prince apples add punch to any dish in any form — baked, grilled, sautéed or used in sauces. For recipes, visit www.redprinceapple.ca.