What I know (or knew) about apples: There a many different kinds. Some I like and some I do not.
In this book, author Tom Burford has opened my eyes somewhat to a veritable cornucopia of apple varieties. So many, in fact, that this was almost overwhelming. Almost.

Burford gives a great deal of information on nearly 200 varieties of apples (this is not a complete list ... these are the 'exceptional varieties' according to the book's subtitle). This information generally includes a brief history of the variety, other names it might be known as, a description of the exterior of the apple (ie: shape, size, color), a description of the interior of the fruit (such as crispness, sweetness, etc), the productivity of the tree, the fruit's disease resistance, the ripening season, storage quality, and uses for the variety (desert, baking, cider-making, vinegar making, etc). I thought it was interesting that only five of the 200 listed mentioned that they were good for 'eating-out-of-hand.'

After the brief look at the different apple varieties, Burford also presents the reader with 'Recommended Uses of Apple Varieties,' a look at planning and planting a home orchard and tree care, and some apple products.

Burford clearly has a great deal of knowledge about and a love affair with the apple. He comes from a family that has grown apples in the United States since the early 1700's and there's probably no one better suited to give us the 411 on apples. And in many ways I feel quite prepared for a trivia night or a series of apple questions on Jeopardy after reading this book.

But...

The bulk of the book is the look at the different varieties, most of which I've never heard of or seen in any of my local stores or markets (I live in the upper Midwest). If I wanted an Early Joe or Westfield Seek-No-Further apple, where would I find one? What does it mean when one of the best apples I've eaten in a long time (an Envy) isn't even listed? This is a wonderful list with some great insight, but it is not very practical from my standpoint.

I have thought it might be nice to have an apple tree in my yard (until I have to mow the yard, of course) and to that end, the information about planting and tree care is quite helpful even though I'm unlikely to take any action in this regard.

Something I didn't see here, but rather expected, was a growing zone. For the 200 varieties listed, am I likely to find them in Minnesota? In Colorado? Virginia? Florida?

There are a number of apple varieties listed here that I'd like to check out, but I'm not sure I'll ever find them.

Looking for a good book? Tom Burford's Apples of North America provides a great deal of information about nearly 200 apple varieties, as well as expert advice on planting, growing, and maintaining apple trees.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Outstanding reissue of a classic covering many apple varieties. Written by a life-long apple farmer, it covers both new and old varieties. You'll see beautiful pictures of each fruit and learn about its history and characteristics. Especially useful for those wishing to grow apples is information about storage qualities and best uses.

In addition to the information about individual varieties, about a third of the book has detailed information about cultivating apples as about methods for using them. This information is not recipes. Instead, you'll learn how to dry apples and make items such as cider and vinegar.

Finally you'll find listings of varieties according to use and growing conditions.

Besides the fact I had to read this on the Netgalley shelf app... on my cell phone, this was absolutely fantastic. Despite this being read on my phone, which was tedious, I was able to enjoy every apple in full color. I love apples, probably my favorite non-berry fruit BUT I love apples even more after this book. I felt like I was right there with author as he was describing each apple. There were even some apples I have not heard of before, and I definitely want to eat all of them. There is an apple for everyone to enjoy.

I am definitely buying this at publishing!! Highly recommended!

Thanks to Netgalley, Tom Burford and Timber Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 9/14/21

Apples, apples, apples...the wonderful fruit...the more you eat them, the more you.....oh wait...wrong thing.

This cookbook is great though and I learned a lot of new apple facts which is actually a hard thing to teach me due to my partner's annoyingly vast knowledge of apples. A good read and a great tool for fall.

Everybody, it seems, loves apples. They are good for snacking, baking and cooking and have been for centuries. Apples of North America: A Celebration of Exceptional Varieties by pomologist, orchardist, and apple historian, Tom Burford, is an excellent reference to have on the shelf to help everyone (both cooks and apples aficionados) with everything they ever wanted to know about apples and more. Not only does this book have photos and information of dozens of varieties of apples, but it also includes what each is best for, as well as how to cultivate apples, how to take care of the trees, and information on storing apples. The only thing this book is lacking is recipes for using apples. Almost every recipe book includes an apple recipe or two, so this shouldn’t be a problem for most. This information included is not only interesting, but also something anyone who has anything to do with apples will want to know. The prose is well-written and understandable. The history of apples is fascinating, and most will enjoy reading it.

All told, while this isn’t actually a cookbook, it is something that anyone who likes apples should pick up and read. The photographs are excellent; the information is excellent and timely, and the historical material is fascinating. It will inspire almost everyone to get their out their favorite apple recipes and use what they have learned to make mouthwatering apple dishes, both sweet and savory. Highly recommended for those who like apples.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review c19opy of this book.

Apples of North America is a guide to all things apples. Thoughtfully put together by an author with deep roots in growing apples, this book contains a compilation of information on close to 200 varieties of apples. Topics also highlighted include how to grow and how to cook the many varieties of apples.

Apples of North America is a fantastic and all-inclusive guide to everything apples. There is so much love and care that went into this book, and the reader will certainly have no shortage of useful information. Of particular interest to me is section with individual profiles on each kind of apple, with information on its history, appearance, usage, and storage. I am an avid baker, and found my world to open up a little more with all of these details. Readers should check this book out for any and all things they may want to know about apples.

Thanks to Netgalley and Timber Press for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.

To have classic tastes, you must be sufficiently educated in classical roots, i.e apple culture. Apples are endemic to American society and learning about not only the gradient and variety of each particular fruit, but where it is harvested, who it was harvested by, helps understand the answer to “why”. Tom Burford provides incredibly helpful photographs of each different variety of apple with explanations of each fruit on the page. I love apples, and learning about my favorite fruit only made me appreciate the hard work of my local orchards that much more.
Also, this is not a cookbook, more an encyclopedia of amazing apple seeds of information that will live within your mind forever.

I received an ARC from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I had no idea that so many apples have roots in slavery. This is a good index to appoint the united state less focus on Canadian and Mexican apples. Very consistent in style for each index.

I really loved this book and how in the section <i>Apple Varieties A to Z</i> each apple has a picture and a whole page about it. I really never knew much about apples before reading through this book, so it was really nice to be able to mark the apples I want to try out or bookmark the ones that are my favorites.

Apples of North America is a comprehensive book about all of different apples found in North America. Each apple is presented in a photograph and the known history is succinctly provided about the apple along with descriptions of how the apple looks, tastes, and characteristics of the apples. Also provided are the disease resistance, season of ripening, typical quality when stored and how the apple is best used. Very interesting read for anyone who enjoys apples, especially rare types not usually found in grocery stores. This book is a great resource for anyone wishing to identify apples on a tree long forgotten or who want to seek out rare and unusual apples from farmer's markets or other sources. Of course, if you grow or are planning on growing apple trees this book is a must read!

I love apples. I love all kinds of apples. I love to eat them raw, cooked, baked, toasted, mashed; you name it, I find them delicious. I love that part of the author’s journey began in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, as that is where I spent many hours at various apple farms with my family. No wonder I felt a sense of nostalgia as I read through this book. The alphabetical guide is incredibly helpful in describing various key points of each type of apple. I had no idea there were so many varieties. There is helpful guide to tell you how to properly taste an apple as well. The book is rounded out with sections such as home orchard, tree planting and care, various apple products, and a delectable section of mouthwatering recipes. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

This is a beautifully laid out, thorough and helpful guide to real apples of all kinds. There are so many thousands of apple varieties that it can only really give you a taste (so to speak) of what's available, but it covers some great ones. There's lots of information at the end about how to properly plant, care for, etc. your apple trees. I love that this includes information like how well each variety keeps, since we have kept apples in our cool basement for many months through the winter. I also appreciate that it tells what each type is good for (cider, baking, fresh eating, etc.) and some history.

I was very sad to get to the end and read the author's bio and see it written in past tense. Mr. Burford apparently passed away as this book was being published. He seems like he was a remarkable man who greatly enhanced the world of apples and the world at large. It is a lovely book to commemorate him.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

Incredibly informative! Normally, books like these tend to be dry and boring, but the visuals/aesthetically pleasing graphic design, subtle humor, and straightforward info make this a fascinating read and excellent resource. The front cover is eye catching and this would make an excellent coffee table/display book.

My only complaint is the poor quality apple pictures - glancing at those fuzzy apples hindered the experience a bit. Regardless, I'm ordering a copy now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Timber Press for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.