Best time to pick apples in Guba

/By AzerNews/

By Nigar Orujova

The summer heat is subsiding in Azerbaijan, while the fresh air of the autumn arrives together with delicious fruits and vegetables. Autumn is the season for apples in Azerbaijan’s northern region and you can taste them in Guba.

Azerbaijan can itself be called an apple garden with its up to 300 varieties of apples grown almost all year round.

Guba has always been known as the region to grow the country’s best apples. It accounts for not only the greatest number, but also the greatest diversity in cultivated varieties.

The northern region of Guba, located in 168 km from the capital, is a favorite destination for local tourists from Baku for picnics and camping in the forest.

While Guba welcomes tourists year-round, the most attractive season to travel to the region is in the autumn, when the smell of its famous sweet apples permeates the air.

Guba, popularized as Azerbaijan’s apple county, is a haven for those who enjoy at least “an apple a day.”

The region is covered in apple orchards, giving off a unique smell that will consume and enchant anyone. Guba residents are even known to have cheeks as red as the side of a ripe red apple.

One of the most famous types of apples in Guba is the “ag alma” or white apple – fragrant, yellow, and with a splash of red color.

However, the queen of apples in Azerbaijan is the “Gizilakhmad” variety. People who bite into these apples for the first time just cannot stop.

These delicious treats are small in size, but are very sweet and juicy, and pack a healthy punch. Due to the high concentration of iron, these red apples are invaluable for children, pregnant women, and those suffering from iron deficiencies.

Autumn is also the best time to prepare apple jam and apple compote to enjoy the sweet taste and healthy nutrients of these fruits at home year-round.

For apple jam you will need 3-4 kg of apples, 4 kg of sugar, some vanilla sugar, cinnamon, and citric acid. The recipe is quite easy: wash and dry the apples, cut them in half, and clean them of seeds. Cut the apples in slices and spread a layer of apples in a saucepan with a thick bottom followed by a layer of sugar. Bear in mind that sugar should cover the last layer. This should stand for a few hours or even all night.

After some time, put the pan on the fire and cook for 20 minutes. Repeat this procedure three times before cooling. The jam is ready when not a drop is spread on a plate. Cinnamon, vanilla, and citric acid are added in the end. The jam is rolled up while hot.

Fans of apple drinks should also try apple compote. You will need some 700 grams of fresh apples, 1.5 liters of water, and half a glass of sugar.

Washed apples should be cored and cut into slices. Apples are placed in cold water and put over medium heat with some sugar added. Bring the apple compote to a boil, add the rest of the sugar, stir, and remove from the heat. After some 20 minutes, the apple compote is ready to refresh and rejuvenate you.

Apple fans – the fruit not the phone – should visit the Apple festival celebrated annually in Guba every October. Not just the trees, but the entire town also turns red and gold, as everything is painted in the colors of fresh apples. This festival attracts both locals and foreign tourists. So go, pick some sweet flavored apples in Guba this autumn.