A Fabled Fruit Orchard and Apple Crisp Recipe

By Brittany P. Anderson

Along the side of Maunakea in the Hilo Forest Reserve is an old orchard. Sitting at 6,000 feet elevation, the Keanakolu orchard, also called the Humu‘ula orchard, is a remnant of a bygone era. The twisted, weathered tree branches and verdant backdrop with birds singing overhead—it is as if you have stepped into a real-life fairy tale.

The path leading to the orchard is lined with trees and the dappled sunlight dances at our feet. At the Keanakolu orchard, cherry, apple, plum, peach, pear, and apricot trees were planted by a person unknown in the late 1800s. The koa log cabin built in 1885 serves as a strong reminder to take only what you need.

Memories recorded in a faded periodical tell a tale of 30 Hawaiians, including three women, who worked the area in the 1850s. They created a large stone corral to hold wild cattle. It was said they could collect nearly 800 heads in an hour. By 1909, forest field reports of the area mention a neglected orchard with no credit to origin. Regardless of their beginning, the trees still stand, their branches decorated with mint-green lichens.

Presumably the orchard architect designed the groves so their fruiting trees could receive the chill they needed from the breezes off Maunakea’s summit. Stone fruits, and other cold weather produce like apples and pears, need a chill to awaken their fruiting senses. But the Anna apple is a variety that doesn’t need cool weather to fruit.

Anna apples are sweet, red flushed over green skin, and you don’t have to wander into a fabled storybook setting to gather them. They retain their shape during cooking, making them excellent for baking. As more Hawai‘i Island residents plant Anna apple trees and established trees begin to bear more fruit, you can find them occasionally at local health food stores or where other local produce is sold.

Apple Crisp

Filling
8 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup sugar
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp powdered ginger

Topping
½ cup brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup macadamia nut
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
5 tablespoons salted butter, chilled

Method
Preheat oven to 425˚F. Place sliced apples in large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. In a small bowl mix sugar, 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, and ¼ tsp powdered ginger. Mix together then pour over sliced apples and toss to coat. Pour into greased rectangular casserole dish. Set aside to prepare topping. Mix together all the ingredients for topping, cutting the chilled butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly. Scatter the mixture over the apples. Bake at 425˚F for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350˚F and bake for another 30–40 minutes until apples are soft and topping is light brown. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving. Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!