MUNSON

Russell Libby, did a lot of driving during his years as MOFGA’s executive director.  He was constantly checking in with farmers around the state, attending meetings and visiting supporters.  Fortunately for us, he nearly always left home early and preferred to take back roads where ever he went, stopping often to chat with a random farmer or scope out an old apple tree.  Many times I received excited phone calls from Russell at odd hours.  They were never about legislation but usually about some new apple discovery he had made. One fall in the late 1990’s he brought me this apple. The tree was in a field not far from his home in Mt. Vernon.  He didn’t know its identity but hoped that I would find it to be of interest.  I spent some time back then attempting to identify it.  For awhile I thought it might be an old Massachusetts variety called Munson.  Although I now think that I was incorrect, I still remain a fan.  I hope that some time this fall I will once again spread the fruit on the dining room table, open up my old books and attempt to figure it out.  I’ll keep you posted.

Munson was likely not grown as a dessert fruit. The skin is mildly astringent and adds a bitter taste to the flavor. If you can work past the bitterness, the flesh is full of pineapple and whiffs of grass. It is slightly tart at the start and finishes with a very sweet aftertaste. When dried it becomes buttery and rich and a nice mix of tart and vanilla. We’re excited to try it in our cider.