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Old 30-03-2006, 08:08 PM posted to rec.gardens,sci.med.nutrition
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?

The best example is with red delicious apples purchased at your local
grocery store.
The apples have whitish areas/stains on the outside skin, and on red
apples the white stains are especially visible. It is difficult to
remove the stains even when trying to rub them off
under running water. When soaked in water for 10 mins the whitish areas
become even
more visible. I assume they are wax, and the type of wax used on apples
supposed to be
water soluble and easily removable and these stains one is NOT. I do
not want to eat apples with pesticides and other dirt under the wax.

These stains are on apples no matter where you buy them. Is there any
way to remove the wax quickly and reliably? Does it make sense to peel
each apple?

  #2   Report Post  
Old 30-03-2006, 08:53 PM posted to rec.gardens,sci.med.nutrition
Doug Kanter
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?


wrote in message
ups.com...
The best example is with red delicious apples purchased at your local
grocery store.
The apples have whitish areas/stains on the outside skin, and on red
apples the white stains are especially visible. It is difficult to
remove the stains even when trying to rub them off
under running water. When soaked in water for 10 mins the whitish areas
become even
more visible. I assume they are wax, and the type of wax used on apples
supposed to be
water soluble and easily removable and these stains one is NOT. I do
not want to eat apples with pesticides and other dirt under the wax.

These stains are on apples no matter where you buy them. Is there any
way to remove the wax quickly and reliably? Does it make sense to peel
each apple?


It's easy to remove. Get yourself a fingernail brush that you'll use just
for fruits & vegetables. Put a drop or two of dish soap on the brush and
scrub, then rinse (obviously). It won't hurt the apple, but it will remove
the wax. Besides seeing that it's gone, you'll notice that the skin suddenly
has an apple smell.

I agree with you about the pesticides, but the wax is a good thing. Without
it, it's unlikely any domestically grown apples would last more than a month
or three. Red Delicious have a thicker skin, and might go well without wax,
but they're only good for cattle feed, so who cares?


  #3   Report Post  
Old 30-03-2006, 09:34 PM posted to rec.gardens,sci.med.nutrition
enigma
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?

"Doug Kanter" wrote in
:


wrote in message
ups.com...
The best example is with red delicious apples purchased at
your local grocery store.
The apples have whitish areas/stains on the outside skin,
and on red apples the white stains are especially visible.
It is difficult to remove the stains even when trying to
rub them off under running water. When soaked in water for
10 mins the whitish areas become even
more visible. I assume they are wax, and the type of wax
used on apples supposed to be
water soluble and easily removable and these stains one is
NOT. I do not want to eat apples with pesticides and other
dirt under the wax.

These stains are on apples no matter where you buy them.
Is there any way to remove the wax quickly and reliably?
Does it make sense to peel each apple?


It's easy to remove. Get yourself a fingernail brush that
you'll use just for fruits & vegetables. Put a drop or two
of dish soap on the brush and scrub, then rinse
(obviously). It won't hurt the apple, but it will remove
the wax. Besides seeing that it's gone, you'll notice that
the skin suddenly has an apple smell.


this works, although i use a washrag & not a brush.
one should remember that apples also have a natural waxy
coating on the skin, in addion to that which is applied for
storage. my guess is that the whitish area on the skin is the
natural wax bloom under the artificially applied wax. the
bloom would get larger if the apple was soaking.

I agree with you about the pesticides, but the wax is a
good thing. Without it, it's unlikely any domestically
grown apples would last more than a month or three. Red
Delicious have a thicker skin, and might go well without
wax, but they're only good for cattle feed, so who cares?


geez Doug, it's bad enough you hate dogs. now you want to
subject poor innocent cows to the abomination that is a
Delicious apple? you evil, twisted man!
the only use for a Delicious apple is starting a compost
pile...
lee

--
war is peace
freedom is slavery
ignorance is strength
1984-George Orwell
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Old 30-03-2006, 09:54 PM posted to rec.gardens,sci.med.nutrition
Doug Kanter
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?

"enigma" wrote in message
. ..
"Doug Kanter" wrote in
:


wrote in message
ups.com...
The best example is with red delicious apples purchased at
your local grocery store.
The apples have whitish areas/stains on the outside skin,
and on red apples the white stains are especially visible.
It is difficult to remove the stains even when trying to
rub them off under running water. When soaked in water for
10 mins the whitish areas become even
more visible. I assume they are wax, and the type of wax
used on apples supposed to be
water soluble and easily removable and these stains one is
NOT. I do not want to eat apples with pesticides and other
dirt under the wax.

These stains are on apples no matter where you buy them.
Is there any way to remove the wax quickly and reliably?
Does it make sense to peel each apple?


It's easy to remove. Get yourself a fingernail brush that
you'll use just for fruits & vegetables. Put a drop or two
of dish soap on the brush and scrub, then rinse
(obviously). It won't hurt the apple, but it will remove
the wax. Besides seeing that it's gone, you'll notice that
the skin suddenly has an apple smell.


this works, although i use a washrag & not a brush.
one should remember that apples also have a natural waxy
coating on the skin, in addion to that which is applied for
storage. my guess is that the whitish area on the skin is the
natural wax bloom under the artificially applied wax. the
bloom would get larger if the apple was soaking.

I agree with you about the pesticides, but the wax is a
good thing. Without it, it's unlikely any domestically
grown apples would last more than a month or three. Red
Delicious have a thicker skin, and might go well without
wax, but they're only good for cattle feed, so who cares?


geez Doug, it's bad enough you hate dogs. now you want to
subject poor innocent cows to the abomination that is a
Delicious apple? you evil, twisted man!
the only use for a Delicious apple is starting a compost
pile...


Delicious apples are also good ballast for florists' fruit baskets - they
keep the baskets stable so they don't tip over and damage the worthwhile
fruit, if any. :-)


  #5   Report Post  
Old 01-04-2006, 11:22 AM posted to rec.gardens,sci.med.nutrition
Knack
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?


"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
ups.com...
The best example is with red delicious apples purchased at your local
grocery store.
The apples have whitish areas/stains on the outside skin, and on red
apples the white stains are especially visible. It is difficult to
remove the stains even when trying to rub them off
under running water. When soaked in water for 10 mins the whitish areas
become even
more visible. I assume they are wax, and the type of wax used on apples
supposed to be
water soluble and easily removable and these stains one is NOT. I do
not want to eat apples with pesticides and other dirt under the wax.

These stains are on apples no matter where you buy them. Is there any
way to remove the wax quickly and reliably? Does it make sense to peel
each apple?


It's easy to remove. Get yourself a fingernail brush that you'll use just
for fruits & vegetables. Put a drop or two of dish soap on the brush and
scrub, then rinse (obviously). It won't hurt the apple, but it will remove
the wax. Besides seeing that it's gone, you'll notice that the skin
suddenly has an apple smell.


Dish liquids contain surfactants that are chosen principally as oil-in-water
emulsifiers. They are *not* wax solvents, and are only OK wettng agents. And
although when dissolved in water they have good wetting properties, their
surface and interfacial tensions are too high to form an aqueous "sheet" of
liquid on a paraffin wax surface, let alone polyethylene, which is easier to
wet than paraffin.

There is at least one product on the market that is formulated as a food
grade wetting agent rather than as an oil-in-water emulsifier. I've tested
one of them on red delicious apples and it worked quite well: Earth Friendly
Products 'Fruit & Vegetable Wash'. Ingredients: water, surfactant, citric
acid
http://www.ecos.com/

Obviously the manufacturer is very secretive about the name of the
surfactant used in the formulation. Certainly they did not invent that
surfactant either. I have some hunches about the possible surfactants that
it could be. I know quite a bit about them.




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Old 01-04-2006, 08:29 PM posted to rec.gardens,sci.med.nutrition
Doug Kanter
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?

"Knack" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
ups.com...
The best example is with red delicious apples purchased at your local
grocery store.
The apples have whitish areas/stains on the outside skin, and on red
apples the white stains are especially visible. It is difficult to
remove the stains even when trying to rub them off
under running water. When soaked in water for 10 mins the whitish areas
become even
more visible. I assume they are wax, and the type of wax used on apples
supposed to be
water soluble and easily removable and these stains one is NOT. I do
not want to eat apples with pesticides and other dirt under the wax.

These stains are on apples no matter where you buy them. Is there any
way to remove the wax quickly and reliably? Does it make sense to peel
each apple?


It's easy to remove. Get yourself a fingernail brush that you'll use just
for fruits & vegetables. Put a drop or two of dish soap on the brush and
scrub, then rinse (obviously). It won't hurt the apple, but it will
remove the wax. Besides seeing that it's gone, you'll notice that the
skin suddenly has an apple smell.


Dish liquids contain surfactants that are chosen principally as
oil-in-water emulsifiers. They are *not* wax solvents, and are only OK
wettng agents.


It's odd though, how well they work at removing the wax, although the brush
is an equal partner in this process. Believe me when I tell you that the was
*IS* removed. If you'd like to repeat the experiement, be sure to use Dawn
dish liquid, original verson.


  #7   Report Post  
Old 01-04-2006, 09:03 PM posted to rec.gardens,sci.med.nutrition
Knack
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?


"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"enigma" wrote in message
. ..
"Doug Kanter" wrote in
:


wrote in message
ups.com...
The best example is with red delicious apples purchased at
your local grocery store.
The apples have whitish areas/stains on the outside skin,
and on red apples the white stains are especially visible.
It is difficult to remove the stains even when trying to
rub them off under running water. When soaked in water for
10 mins the whitish areas become even
more visible. I assume they are wax, and the type of wax
used on apples supposed to be
water soluble and easily removable and these stains one is
NOT. I do not want to eat apples with pesticides and other
dirt under the wax.

These stains are on apples no matter where you buy them.
Is there any way to remove the wax quickly and reliably?
Does it make sense to peel each apple?


It's easy to remove. Get yourself a fingernail brush that
you'll use just for fruits & vegetables. Put a drop or two
of dish soap on the brush and scrub, then rinse
(obviously). It won't hurt the apple, but it will remove
the wax. Besides seeing that it's gone, you'll notice that
the skin suddenly has an apple smell.


this works, although i use a washrag & not a brush.
one should remember that apples also have a natural waxy
coating on the skin, in addion to that which is applied for
storage. my guess is that the whitish area on the skin is the
natural wax bloom under the artificially applied wax. the
bloom would get larger if the apple was soaking.

I agree with you about the pesticides, but the wax is a
good thing. Without it, it's unlikely any domestically
grown apples would last more than a month or three. Red
Delicious have a thicker skin, and might go well without
wax, but they're only good for cattle feed, so who cares?


geez Doug, it's bad enough you hate dogs. now you want to
subject poor innocent cows to the abomination that is a
Delicious apple? you evil, twisted man!
the only use for a Delicious apple is starting a compost
pile...


Delicious apples are also good ballast for florists' fruit baskets - they
keep the baskets stable so they don't tip over and damage the worthwhile
fruit, if any. :-)


They may not taste as good as other apple varieties, but AFAIK red delicious
skins contain a far greater concentration of the antioxidant flavonoid named
quercetin, than does any other variety of apple. This is also true of red
onions with respect to yellow/white varieties.

Other important sources of quercetin: black/green teas, cranberry, red wine,
brocolli, kale, spinach, whole buckwheat flour, undutched cocoa powder



  #8   Report Post  
Old 01-04-2006, 09:30 PM posted to rec.gardens,sci.med.nutrition
Doug Kanter
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?


"Knack" wrote in message
link.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"enigma" wrote in message
. ..
"Doug Kanter" wrote in
:


wrote in message
ups.com...
The best example is with red delicious apples purchased at
your local grocery store.
The apples have whitish areas/stains on the outside skin,
and on red apples the white stains are especially visible.
It is difficult to remove the stains even when trying to
rub them off under running water. When soaked in water for
10 mins the whitish areas become even
more visible. I assume they are wax, and the type of wax
used on apples supposed to be
water soluble and easily removable and these stains one is
NOT. I do not want to eat apples with pesticides and other
dirt under the wax.

These stains are on apples no matter where you buy them.
Is there any way to remove the wax quickly and reliably?
Does it make sense to peel each apple?


It's easy to remove. Get yourself a fingernail brush that
you'll use just for fruits & vegetables. Put a drop or two
of dish soap on the brush and scrub, then rinse
(obviously). It won't hurt the apple, but it will remove
the wax. Besides seeing that it's gone, you'll notice that
the skin suddenly has an apple smell.

this works, although i use a washrag & not a brush.
one should remember that apples also have a natural waxy
coating on the skin, in addion to that which is applied for
storage. my guess is that the whitish area on the skin is the
natural wax bloom under the artificially applied wax. the
bloom would get larger if the apple was soaking.

I agree with you about the pesticides, but the wax is a
good thing. Without it, it's unlikely any domestically
grown apples would last more than a month or three. Red
Delicious have a thicker skin, and might go well without
wax, but they're only good for cattle feed, so who cares?

geez Doug, it's bad enough you hate dogs. now you want to
subject poor innocent cows to the abomination that is a
Delicious apple? you evil, twisted man!
the only use for a Delicious apple is starting a compost
pile...


Delicious apples are also good ballast for florists' fruit baskets - they
keep the baskets stable so they don't tip over and damage the worthwhile
fruit, if any. :-)


They may not taste as good as other apple varieties, but AFAIK red
delicious
skins contain a far greater concentration of the antioxidant flavonoid
named
quercetin, than does any other variety of apple. This is also true of red
onions with respect to yellow/white varieties.

Other important sources of quercetin: black/green teas, cranberry, red
wine,
brocolli, kale, spinach, whole buckwheat flour, undutched cocoa powder


Any of those things taste much better than red delicious apples.


  #9   Report Post  
Old 01-04-2006, 10:46 PM posted to rec.gardens,sci.med.nutrition
Knack
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?


"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"Knack" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
ups.com...
The best example is with red delicious apples purchased at your local
grocery store.
The apples have whitish areas/stains on the outside skin, and on red
apples the white stains are especially visible. It is difficult to
remove the stains even when trying to rub them off
under running water. When soaked in water for 10 mins the whitish areas
become even
more visible. I assume they are wax, and the type of wax used on apples
supposed to be
water soluble and easily removable and these stains one is NOT. I do
not want to eat apples with pesticides and other dirt under the wax.

These stains are on apples no matter where you buy them. Is there any
way to remove the wax quickly and reliably? Does it make sense to peel
each apple?


It's easy to remove. Get yourself a fingernail brush that you'll use
just for fruits & vegetables. Put a drop or two of dish soap on the
brush and scrub, then rinse (obviously). It won't hurt the apple, but it
will remove the wax. Besides seeing that it's gone, you'll notice that
the skin suddenly has an apple smell.


Dish liquids contain surfactants that are chosen principally as
oil-in-water emulsifiers. They are *not* wax solvents, and are only OK
wettng agents.


It's odd though, how well they work at removing the wax, although the
brush is an equal partner in this process. Believe me when I tell you that
the was *IS* removed. If you'd like to repeat the experiement, be sure to
use Dawn dish liquid, original verson.


Just did some quick research. Apples are washed clean of dust and
agricultural surface contamination before they are coated. The type of wax
used on apples is not paraffin, which is derived from petroleum, but
carnauba, which comes from the leaf of a particular species of Brazilian
palm tree (Copernica cerifera). The carnauba is dissolved in a solvent named
morpholine, which functions as a coupling agent between organic and aqueous
systems. Thus the solution of carnauba in morpholine is miscible in water,
which enables the wax coating to be applied by an aqueous spray at room
temperature or via an aqueous dip bath. The liquid coating is dried quickly
by hot air treatment. All of the aforemented steps are done via a multi-step
automated process, without human contact.

I can now understand how Dawn Original can be helpful in removing the
coating, as carnauba is easier to wet than paraffin. However, I've tested
some inferior brands of fruit/vegetable spray cleaners for the consumer
market, and even some of these dedicated use products were unable to produce
"sheet wetting" on a coated apple. I didn't bother to further test them via
scrubbing, as I want a cleaner that I could simply spray on and rinse off,
without much labor.

Apparently there are trace amounts of morpholine residue in the
predominately carnauba coating. However I think the main health hazard is
not the morpholine, but the contamination from human contact which occurs
when:
1) apples are loaded into the store bins and
2) are inspected/handled by customers.

Certainly it is best to completely completely strip away the wax coating
rather than clean the surface of that coating, as not only would the
morpholine trace be removed, but also whatever contaminates that have been
trapped *into* the soft coating while the apples were in the store.

Whenever I see the smaller cheaper apples that are prebagged in plastic by
the grower or silo, I choose those. I figure that they must be cleaner than
individually displayed apples. Costco stores now offer large premium quality
apples at sharply discounted prices that are sold in clear plastic clamshell
packaging. But if not for the fact that my area also has a waste-to-energy
plant ("burn plant" for generating electricity) I would never buy those.


  #10   Report Post  
Old 01-04-2006, 11:09 PM posted to rec.gardens,sci.med.nutrition
Knack
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?


"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"Knack" wrote in message
link.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"enigma" wrote in message
. ..
"Doug Kanter" wrote in
:


wrote in message
ups.com...
The best example is with red delicious apples purchased at
your local grocery store.
The apples have whitish areas/stains on the outside skin,
and on red apples the white stains are especially visible.
It is difficult to remove the stains even when trying to
rub them off under running water. When soaked in water for
10 mins the whitish areas become even
more visible. I assume they are wax, and the type of wax
used on apples supposed to be
water soluble and easily removable and these stains one is
NOT. I do not want to eat apples with pesticides and other
dirt under the wax.

These stains are on apples no matter where you buy them.
Is there any way to remove the wax quickly and reliably?
Does it make sense to peel each apple?


It's easy to remove. Get yourself a fingernail brush that
you'll use just for fruits & vegetables. Put a drop or two
of dish soap on the brush and scrub, then rinse
(obviously). It won't hurt the apple, but it will remove
the wax. Besides seeing that it's gone, you'll notice that
the skin suddenly has an apple smell.

this works, although i use a washrag & not a brush.
one should remember that apples also have a natural waxy
coating on the skin, in addion to that which is applied for
storage. my guess is that the whitish area on the skin is the
natural wax bloom under the artificially applied wax. the
bloom would get larger if the apple was soaking.

I agree with you about the pesticides, but the wax is a
good thing. Without it, it's unlikely any domestically
grown apples would last more than a month or three. Red
Delicious have a thicker skin, and might go well without
wax, but they're only good for cattle feed, so who cares?

geez Doug, it's bad enough you hate dogs. now you want to
subject poor innocent cows to the abomination that is a
Delicious apple? you evil, twisted man!
the only use for a Delicious apple is starting a compost
pile...

Delicious apples are also good ballast for florists' fruit baskets -
they
keep the baskets stable so they don't tip over and damage the worthwhile
fruit, if any. :-)


They may not taste as good as other apple varieties, but AFAIK red
delicious
skins contain a far greater concentration of the antioxidant flavonoid
named
quercetin, than does any other variety of apple. This is also true of red
onions with respect to yellow/white varieties.

Other important sources of quercetin: black/green teas, cranberry, red
wine,
brocolli, kale, spinach, whole buckwheat flour, undutched cocoa powder


Any of those things taste much better than red delicious apples.

Red delicious are still my least favorite apple for flavor, and I used to
avoid them for.. I can't remember how far back! It was only after learning
of their quercetin content last autumn that I began choosing them once in a
while. There are 3 or 4 aspects about them that make them less enjoyable.

My favorite apple is rarely available, and when it is, it is by name only,
as the cultivar has been hybridized over the years and bears little
resemblance to the one that we loved as kids: Stayman winesap. Although its
skin was thick, and dull red, with little natural wax, and with unattractive
scaly patches, it was positively the sweetest, crispest apple. They were
commonly used for cooking, because many people detested their skin, which is
removed for cooked recipes anyway. The modern cultivar of the Stayman
winesap usually has been x-bred (possibly with Braeburn, or who know what)
for the purpose of looks and to make the skin thinner, resulting in an
inferior flavor that I do not prefer over other varieties. I don't think
I've found a true original Stayman winesap in well over 10 years.




  #11   Report Post  
Old 02-04-2006, 12:19 AM posted to rec.gardens,sci.med.nutrition
Doug Kanter
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?


"Knack" wrote in message
link.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"Knack" wrote in message
link.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"enigma" wrote in message
. ..
"Doug Kanter" wrote in
:


wrote in message
ups.com...
The best example is with red delicious apples purchased at
your local grocery store.
The apples have whitish areas/stains on the outside skin,
and on red apples the white stains are especially visible.
It is difficult to remove the stains even when trying to
rub them off under running water. When soaked in water for
10 mins the whitish areas become even
more visible. I assume they are wax, and the type of wax
used on apples supposed to be
water soluble and easily removable and these stains one is
NOT. I do not want to eat apples with pesticides and other
dirt under the wax.

These stains are on apples no matter where you buy them.
Is there any way to remove the wax quickly and reliably?
Does it make sense to peel each apple?


It's easy to remove. Get yourself a fingernail brush that
you'll use just for fruits & vegetables. Put a drop or two
of dish soap on the brush and scrub, then rinse
(obviously). It won't hurt the apple, but it will remove
the wax. Besides seeing that it's gone, you'll notice that
the skin suddenly has an apple smell.

this works, although i use a washrag & not a brush.
one should remember that apples also have a natural waxy
coating on the skin, in addion to that which is applied for
storage. my guess is that the whitish area on the skin is the
natural wax bloom under the artificially applied wax. the
bloom would get larger if the apple was soaking.

I agree with you about the pesticides, but the wax is a
good thing. Without it, it's unlikely any domestically
grown apples would last more than a month or three. Red
Delicious have a thicker skin, and might go well without
wax, but they're only good for cattle feed, so who cares?

geez Doug, it's bad enough you hate dogs. now you want to
subject poor innocent cows to the abomination that is a
Delicious apple? you evil, twisted man!
the only use for a Delicious apple is starting a compost
pile...

Delicious apples are also good ballast for florists' fruit baskets -
they
keep the baskets stable so they don't tip over and damage the
worthwhile
fruit, if any. :-)

They may not taste as good as other apple varieties, but AFAIK red
delicious
skins contain a far greater concentration of the antioxidant flavonoid
named
quercetin, than does any other variety of apple. This is also true of
red
onions with respect to yellow/white varieties.

Other important sources of quercetin: black/green teas, cranberry, red
wine,
brocolli, kale, spinach, whole buckwheat flour, undutched cocoa powder


Any of those things taste much better than red delicious apples.

Red delicious are still my least favorite apple for flavor, and I used to
avoid them for.. I can't remember how far back! It was only after
learning of their quercetin content last autumn that I began choosing them
once in a while. There are 3 or 4 aspects about them that make them less
enjoyable.

My favorite apple is rarely available, and when it is, it is by name only,
as the cultivar has been hybridized over the years and bears little
resemblance to the one that we loved as kids: Stayman winesap. Although
its skin was thick, and dull red, with little natural wax, and with
unattractive scaly patches, it was positively the sweetest, crispest
apple. They were commonly used for cooking, because many people detested
their skin, which is removed for cooked recipes anyway. The modern
cultivar of the Stayman winesap usually has been x-bred (possibly with
Braeburn, or who know what) for the purpose of looks and to make the skin
thinner, resulting in an inferior flavor that I do not prefer over other
varieties. I don't think I've found a true original Stayman winesap in
well over 10 years.


Next to hostas and squash, apples are the next worst whores of the vegetable
world. Stop obsessing over quercetin and just eat more apples of whatever
kind you like best. Where are you from? Can you get a decent Cortland?


  #12   Report Post  
Old 02-04-2006, 01:06 AM posted to rec.gardens,sci.med.nutrition
Knack
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?


"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
news

"Knack" wrote in message
link.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"Knack" wrote in message
link.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"enigma" wrote in message
. ..
"Doug Kanter" wrote in
:


wrote in message
ups.com...
The best example is with red delicious apples purchased at
your local grocery store.
The apples have whitish areas/stains on the outside skin,
and on red apples the white stains are especially visible.
It is difficult to remove the stains even when trying to
rub them off under running water. When soaked in water for
10 mins the whitish areas become even
more visible. I assume they are wax, and the type of wax
used on apples supposed to be
water soluble and easily removable and these stains one is
NOT. I do not want to eat apples with pesticides and other
dirt under the wax.

These stains are on apples no matter where you buy them.
Is there any way to remove the wax quickly and reliably?
Does it make sense to peel each apple?


It's easy to remove. Get yourself a fingernail brush that
you'll use just for fruits & vegetables. Put a drop or two
of dish soap on the brush and scrub, then rinse
(obviously). It won't hurt the apple, but it will remove
the wax. Besides seeing that it's gone, you'll notice that
the skin suddenly has an apple smell.

this works, although i use a washrag & not a brush.
one should remember that apples also have a natural waxy
coating on the skin, in addion to that which is applied for
storage. my guess is that the whitish area on the skin is the
natural wax bloom under the artificially applied wax. the
bloom would get larger if the apple was soaking.

I agree with you about the pesticides, but the wax is a
good thing. Without it, it's unlikely any domestically
grown apples would last more than a month or three. Red
Delicious have a thicker skin, and might go well without
wax, but they're only good for cattle feed, so who cares?

geez Doug, it's bad enough you hate dogs. now you want to
subject poor innocent cows to the abomination that is a
Delicious apple? you evil, twisted man!
the only use for a Delicious apple is starting a compost
pile...

Delicious apples are also good ballast for florists' fruit baskets -
they
keep the baskets stable so they don't tip over and damage the
worthwhile
fruit, if any. :-)

They may not taste as good as other apple varieties, but AFAIK red
delicious
skins contain a far greater concentration of the antioxidant flavonoid
named
quercetin, than does any other variety of apple. This is also true of
red
onions with respect to yellow/white varieties.

Other important sources of quercetin: black/green teas, cranberry, red
wine,
brocolli, kale, spinach, whole buckwheat flour, undutched cocoa powder

Any of those things taste much better than red delicious apples.

Red delicious are still my least favorite apple for flavor, and I used to
avoid them for.. I can't remember how far back! It was only after
learning of their quercetin content last autumn that I began choosing
them once in a while. There are 3 or 4 aspects about them that make them
less enjoyable.

My favorite apple is rarely available, and when it is, it is by name
only, as the cultivar has been hybridized over the years and bears little
resemblance to the one that we loved as kids: Stayman winesap. Although
its skin was thick, and dull red, with little natural wax, and with
unattractive scaly patches, it was positively the sweetest, crispest
apple. They were commonly used for cooking, because many people detested
their skin, which is removed for cooked recipes anyway. The modern
cultivar of the Stayman winesap usually has been x-bred (possibly with
Braeburn, or who know what) for the purpose of looks and to make the skin
thinner, resulting in an inferior flavor that I do not prefer over other
varieties. I don't think I've found a true original Stayman winesap in
well over 10 years.


Next to hostas and squash, apples are the next worst whores of the
vegetable world. Stop obsessing over quercetin and just eat more apples of
whatever kind you like best. Where are you from? Can you get a decent
Cortland?

Cortlands are grown mostly in NY state. In fact I recall trout fishing a
couple times near Cortland, NY; that country is one of the greenest, lushest
farmlands I've ever seen. As a kid, I recall Cortland apples as were among
the first of the economy apples that were sold prebagged in supermarkets. I
wonder whether they're simply McCintosh that are graded smaller in size and
resold as a different variety! No, they're unavailable where I now live; in
eastern Washington.


  #13   Report Post  
Old 02-04-2006, 01:19 AM posted to rec.gardens,sci.med.nutrition
enigma
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?

"Knack" wrote in
ink.net:
Cortlands are grown mostly in NY state. In fact I recall
trout fishing a couple times near Cortland, NY; that
country is one of the greenest, lushest farmlands I've ever
seen. As a kid, I recall Cortland apples as were among the
first of the economy apples that were sold prebagged in
supermarkets. I wonder whether they're simply McCintosh
that are graded smaller in size and resold as a different
variety! No, they're unavailable where I now live; in
eastern Washington.


oh my ghods, NO! a Cortland is NOT one of those nasty mealy
MacIntoshes. ew! how could you *possibly* confuse the two?!
a Courtland is crisp, with a tender (but not too tender)
skin, & sweet with just the right amount of acid bite. good
for eating *and* baking.
a MacIntosh is a nasty, mealy, hard skinned apple suitable
only for apple sauce. they're just a step up from Red
Delicious.
lee
--
war is peace
freedom is slavery
ignorance is strength
1984-George Orwell
  #14   Report Post  
Old 02-04-2006, 04:37 AM posted to rec.gardens
Andrew Ostrander
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?

Just judging by the flavour I have always thought that the so-called
Delicious apples were manufactured from facial tissues.

"enigma" wrote in message
. ..
"Knack" wrote in
ink.net:
Cortlands are grown mostly in NY state. In fact I recall
trout fishing a couple times near Cortland, NY; that
country is one of the greenest, lushest farmlands I've ever
seen. As a kid, I recall Cortland apples as were among the
first of the economy apples that were sold prebagged in
supermarkets. I wonder whether they're simply McCintosh
that are graded smaller in size and resold as a different
variety! No, they're unavailable where I now live; in
eastern Washington.


oh my ghods, NO! a Cortland is NOT one of those nasty mealy
MacIntoshes. ew! how could you *possibly* confuse the two?!
a Courtland is crisp, with a tender (but not too tender)
skin, & sweet with just the right amount of acid bite. good
for eating *and* baking.
a MacIntosh is a nasty, mealy, hard skinned apple suitable
only for apple sauce. they're just a step up from Red
Delicious.
lee
--
war is peace
freedom is slavery
ignorance is strength
1984-George Orwell



  #15   Report Post  
Old 02-04-2006, 04:41 AM posted to rec.gardens,sci.med.nutrition
Knack
 
Posts: n/a
Default How to get rid of the wax on apples?


"enigma" wrote in message
. ..
"Knack" wrote in
ink.net:
Cortlands are grown mostly in NY state. In fact I recall
trout fishing a couple times near Cortland, NY; that
country is one of the greenest, lushest farmlands I've ever
seen. As a kid, I recall Cortland apples as were among the
first of the economy apples that were sold prebagged in
supermarkets. I wonder whether they're simply McCintosh
that are graded smaller in size and resold as a different
variety! No, they're unavailable where I now live; in
eastern Washington.


oh my ghods, NO! a Cortland is NOT one of those nasty mealy
MacIntoshes. ew! how could you *possibly* confuse the two?!
a Courtland is crisp, with a tender (but not too tender)
skin, & sweet with just the right amount of acid bite. good
for eating *and* baking.
a MacIntosh is a nasty, mealy, hard skinned apple suitable
only for apple sauce. they're just a step up from Red
Delicious.
lee
--
war is peace
freedom is slavery
ignorance is strength
1984-George Orwell


Ha :-) Well, must admit that its been a while since I had one. I'll look
for them next time that I'm visiting in NJ later this month, but unlike
apples from Wasington and BC, their off-season availability (from controlled
atmosphere storage) is hard to come by.


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