Apple Day spotlights Israeli and European apple varieties

Apple Day on Oct. 21 is being used in Israel to showcase apple varieties, their origins and how differences in sweetness, texture and acidity shape cooking. The Garden of Europe campaign is tying that message to a new apple-and-honey cake recipe that uses European apples and draws on Jewish culinary tradition.

Why it matters: - Apple Day highlights how apple varieties can change flavor, texture and cooking results. - The observance also connects food traditions with agricultural origin, including apples grown in Israel and apples grown in Europe. - The Garden of Europe campaign is using the occasion to promote European apples in Israel and other international markets.

What happened: - Apple Day is observed on 21 October in a number of countries. - In Israel, the Israeli Plants Production and Marketing Board identified Gala, Anna and Starking apples among locally grown varieties. - Some Starking apples are marketed under the name Hermon. - The Garden of Europe campaign, co-funded by the European Union, highlighted four apple varieties originating in Poland. - The campaign also released an Apple and Honey Cake recipe for Apple Day.

The details: - Gala apples are medium-sized, crunchy and sweet, with red skin and yellow tones. - Red Jonaprince apples are larger, with deep red coloring, firm flesh, a pleasant aroma and a sweet-tart flavor. - Red Delicious apples are juicy, crunchy and sweet, with dark red coloring and golden tones. - Red Chief apples have dark red skin, creamy-colored crunchy flesh, a pleasant aroma and sweetness. - The campaign says the varieties can be used in fresh snacks and baked desserts. - The varieties’ sweetness, acidity and texture can affect a recipe’s flavor and consistency. - The Garden of Europe campaign is in its third year. - The campaign promotes European apples originating in Poland and European kiwifruit originating in Greece in selected international markets, including Israel. - The Apple and Honey Cake recipe uses apples, honey and cinnamon. - The recipe calls for two medium European Union apples, such as Gala, peeled, cored and diced. - The full recipe includes 2 eggs, 80 ml vegetable oil, 80 ml honey, 150 g all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt. - The method calls for baking the cake at 175°C in an approximately 18 cm tin for 30–35 minutes.

Between the lines: - The campaign is pairing product education with a culturally familiar recipe to make the fruit more relevant to consumers. - By emphasizing origin, the campaign is positioning apple variety as more than a grocery choice and more as a culinary and cultural one. - The Jewish honey-and-apple association gives the recipe a seasonal and traditional hook.

What's next: - Apple Day gives the Garden of Europe campaign another platform to market European fruit in Israel. - The campaign is likely to continue using recipes and variety profiles to encourage consumers to choose apples by flavor and use, not just by appearance.

The bottom line: - Apple Day is being used in Israel to turn a familiar fruit into a lesson in origin, variety and kitchen use.