Apples of North America: A Celebration of Exceptional Varieties

In the world of apples, beauty is the enemy of taste. The obsessive search for the best-looking apples to sell, has led to the dismissal of scores of infinitely better-tasting—but much less pretty—varieties. Burford intends to change that with this paean to the glories of the Malus domestica. After serving up a concise history of the fruit, Burford (, whose family has been growing apples since 1715) provides detailed information and color photographs for almost 200 different varieties of apples, from Bentley to Fallawater. He also offers guidance on planting and growing apple trees and ways to preserve the fruit (including making cider and drying apples). Some of this practical information seems geared for large-scale apple-growing operations—the applesauce recipe yields 25 gallons—rather than home gardeners.