We see apples and many of the delicious ways to use them in the kitchen throughout Issue 04: Fruit Ridge. It is, after all, one of the country’s most abundant apple-growing regions. So, in the spirit of the season, we decided to dig a little deeper into the history of this beloved fruit!
Thousands of years ago, in the mountains of Kazakhstan in Central Asia, apple trees first grew. From there, they spread westward into Europe, and in the 16th century, French Jesuits brought the first apple seeds to North America.
Early settlers in what is now Massachusetts brought apple trees from England, eager to cultivate a familiar taste of home. While crabapple trees were native to North America, their fruit was too sour to eat. The sweet apple varieties we enjoy today are the ones that were carried across the Atlantic by European settlers. The Massachusetts Bay Colony even requested seeds and cuttings from England, which arrived on subsequent voyages to Boston.
In the 1920s and ’30s, when Prohibition took hold, cider’s association with alcohol led temperance advocates to urge farmers to cut down their apple trees. Hundreds of varieties were lost, and both the apple and cider industries suffered a steep decline. Still, apples proved resilient, making their way back into American kitchens.
Today, the US is the second largest apple producer in the world with over 2,500 apple varieties, though only about 100 are grown commercially.
Every fall, apples take center stage in the rhythm of the season. They’re stirred into sauces, dipped in caramel, and gathered by hand from heavy branches. They bring happiness in their simplest forms—a shared dessert, a full basket, a moment to pause and savor the sweetness of autumn.
The game of bobbing for apples originated in Europe as a courting ritual. Each apple represented a suitor, and young women would try to bite into the one linked to their crush. If a woman was able to successfully get it on her first try, that meant they were destined to be together.
Over the years, the courting aspect of the game faded from popularity. But when European and Irish immigrants came to America, they carried many of their traditions with them, including bobbing for apples.
As generations passed, Americans began to rediscover these customs, weaving them into new seasonal celebrations. This tradition found a particularly fitting home on Halloween, which falls on October 31st, the same day as Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter.
Like many great recipes, the caramel apple started as a happy accident. In the 1950s, Dan Walker of Kraft Foods melted down extra Halloween caramels and dipped apples into the mix, resulting in a treat so simple and delicious it quickly became a fall classic.
The idea of you-pick farms took root in the 20th century as farmers adapted to changes in agriculture. After World War II, small family farms faced pressure from industrialized farming and shifting consumer habits. To stay afloat and connected to the community, many began inviting visitors to pick their own fruit from the fields.
By the 1960s, apple orchards offering you-pick experiences were thriving nationwide. A day at the orchard became more than a way to gather produce—it was a ritual of slowing down, breathing fresh air, and sharing something simple together. These trips soon became an annual tradition, turning a practical idea into one of fall’s most cherished pastimes.
Amber Kober’s daughters Avery Kober (left) and Kenzie Kober. Issue 04: Fruit Ridge.
Each fall, we bring the history of apples into our kitchens—slicing them for pies, adding a sprinkle of cinnamon, and tasting that first warm bite out of the oven. Apples may have traveled thousands of miles to get here, but they’ve found their home in the rhythms of our seasons and the recipes we pass down.
Issue 04: Fruit Ridge is packed with fall flavor—from apple pan dowdy to stories best enjoyed with the scent of something baking and a mug warming your hands.
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