Kandil Sinap is an ancient apple that grows on a vigorous, distinctively pyriform (narrow, upright, and pyramidal, like a pear tree) tree that will require careful training. It needs to be thinned well and early to prevent biennialism, and it is recommended that this tree be planted in a sheltered location to avoid premature drop caused by wind. Kandil Sinap is fireblight resistant.

Kandil Sinap is about as exotic as it gets. Named after the Sinop Region in Turkey, the apple is bizarrely elongated with a beautiful, pale golden skin that is splashed red. While its strange appearance is definitely a conversation starter, the flavor is actually excellent. The crisp, white flesh is sweet, perfumed, and slightly vinous. If you want a delicious apple that stands out from the crowd, this is your tree. These apples will store for over three months, though they should be handled carefully to avoid bruising.

The Sinop region is a small peninsula on the southern shore of the Black Sea. The Greeks settled and named the region in the 7th century BC, and the Romans conquered the area in 70 BC. In 1081, the city of Sinop was captured by the Turks, and in 1614 it was looted and burned by Cossack raiders. In 1853, in the Battle of Sinop, the Russians destroyed an Ottoman squadron, causing Britain and France to enter the Crimean War. I like to imagine a single Kandil Sinap tree serenely growing in a walled garden throughout all this history, elegantly dripping gold and red apples.