Would you eat an apple that smells like grape soda?
Things you should know about: the grapple (as in grape + apple). It’s pronounced like “gray-pole,” and was created in Wenatchee Valley, WA. It looks like an apple and it tastes likea grape.Pretty bizarre,right?
In the video above,Munchiescontributor Adam Leith Gollner tries to shed some light on the mysterious fruit, which he firststumbled acrosswhile conducting research for his bookThe Fruit Hunters, which exploresstories about unusual or interesting fruits.
According to Snyder Bros, the inventors of Grapple, the fruit is made by takingFuji apples and dunking them in a bath of concord grape flavor.The artificial grape flavor,called Methyl Anthranilate, isUSDA and FDA approved.When not used to make grapples, it is usually found in chewing gum and Kool aid.
Methyl Anthranilate also makes a good bird repellent. Farmers spray the fragrance to keep birds away from apples or cherries.
In The Fruit Hunters,Gollner writes,
The flavoring admixture used in the patent solution is an off-the-shelf solution of MA marketed under the names of Bird Shield bird repellent and Fruit Shield Repellent.
Bird Shield also comes with an EPA number, which means it is classified as a pesticide.
Gollner then talksto patent attorney Jeffrey Aldridge, who says that the making of grappleentails dipping an apple (preferably Fuji or Gala) in the admixture, which permeates the fruit through the skin. The concentration of Methyl Anthranilate ranges from 1% to 4%.
However,although Methyl Anthranilate is classified as an additive, it is not more dangerous than sugar, salt, and partially hydrogenated oil—products all classified as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe).
This investigative documentary is not all anxiety-inducing scientific speculation. To keep things light, Gollner also distributes samples of grapples to random people—including restaurateurs, sommeliers, and hippies.The most notable reactions:
“It smells like grape soda”
“It’s like going on a date with your grandma”
“Ew, I am sorry”
“It reminds me of the toothpaste that you get to use when you’re really little so you brush your teeth”
“it’s a fake”
But the absolutebest reaction comes from a middle-agedhippie, who proudly declares:
“I don’t eat apples but I open a hole and use it as a bowl to smoke pot. After you smoke from the apple, you get the munchies and you eat it.”
[via Munchies]
As an enthusiast and expert in the field of unusual fruits, flavors, and agricultural practices, I can confidently dive into the intriguing world of the "grapple" - a fusion fruit that combines the appearance of an apple with the taste and aroma of grape soda.
The grapple, pronounced as "gray-pole," was crafted in Wenatchee Valley, WA. Its creation involves a fascinating process where Fuji apples undergo a transformation by being immersed in a concord grape flavor bath. This artificial grape flavor, known as Methyl Anthranilate, is both USDA and FDA approved, commonly used in products like chewing gum and Kool-Aid. Furthermore, Methyl Anthranilate serves as an effective bird repellent, often sprayed by farmers to safeguard their apple or cherry crops from birds.
In the investigation presented by Adam Leith Gollner, featured in the Munchies article "Would you eat an apple that smells like grape soda?" from his book "The Fruit Hunters," the process of making the grapple is unveiled. Patent attorney Jeffrey Aldridge details the method involving dipping apples (preferably Fuji or Gala) into the Methyl Anthranilate solution, which permeates the fruit through the skin, with concentrations ranging from 1% to 4%. Despite its classification as an additive, Methyl Anthranilate is deemed no more hazardous than everyday consumables like sugar, salt, and partially hydrogenated oil, all classified as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) products.
Gollner's investigative piece isn't solely a scientific exposition; it includes reactions from individuals sampled with grapples, including restaurateurs, sommeliers, and other random individuals. Comments range from likening its scent to grape soda or reminiscing about childhood toothpaste flavors. Notably, a middle-aged individual humorously shares a unique use for the grapple by hollowing it out and using it as a bowl for smoking pot, followed by enjoying it as a snack after experiencing the munchies.
In summary, the grapple is a curious fusion fruit, intriguingly combining the appearance of an apple with the taste and aroma of grape soda, owing its unique flavor to the immersion in a concord grape-flavored solution containing Methyl Anthranilate, an approved substance utilized both in flavoring and as a bird repellent in agriculture.
