Spice Sweeting

Spice Sweeting

Origin/History

An old variety. The specimens described by Warder (1867) were obtained from Mr. Warren of Massachusetts. Warder notes that other fruits found in Ohio and Illinois under the same name — bearing a deep, abrupt basin, large or long eye, and yellow flesh — must be different fruits from the true Spice Sweeting.

Tree

Tree vigorous. Warder reports it productive; Elliott describes it as a moderate bearer.

Fruit

Size and Form: Full medium to large (Warder); large (Elliott). Warder describes the form as flat and irregular; Elliott describes it as roundish. These accounts conflict and may reflect regional strains or different specimens.

Stem: Thick and knobby (Warder).

Cavity: Acute, wavy (Warder).

Calyx: Small, closed (Warder).

Basin: Shallow and folded (Warder).

Skin: Surface smooth (Warder). Color yellow with bronzy and crimson (Warder); yellowish (Elliott).

Dots: Numerous, green (Warder).

Flesh and Flavor: Flesh very white, tender, fine grained, and juicy, with a sweet flavor (Warder). Elliott similarly describes the flesh as sweet, but characterizes it as firm — a potential conflict with Warder's "tender."

Core and Seeds: Core very wide, open, meeting the eye. Seeds pointed, long, and dark (Warder).

Season

September–October (Warder). August–September (Elliott).

Uses

Kitchen, baking, stock (Warder).

Subtypes/Variants

Warder explicitly warns that specimens circulating in Ohio and Illinois under the name Spice Sweeting — characterized by a deep abrupt basin, large or long eye, and yellow flesh — are likely distinct fruits and should not be identified with the Massachusetts type described here.

Other

Not described in source.