From the founding of Jamestown to the time of Washington and Jefferson, every plantation owner made cider, drank cider, and bragged about his cider.
Fruit
FATHER ABRAHAM is the Danziger Kantaphel, first mentioned in 1790, that presumably came from the Danzig, Germany, region. It was mentioned in 1802 as a cider apple in Ireland. William Cox wrote in 1817: "This is a small apple of a flat form; the skin is red with spots and blotches of red with a little yellow. …" It is medium in size, prominently ribbed at the eye with some ribbing from the base to the apex. The greenish-yellow skin is almost totally flushed and streaked brownish-red and dotted over the surface. Sometimes it is russeted at the base and the skin is very greasy. The yellowish-white flesh is fine-grained, tinged red under the skin, with a sweet subacid flavor. The flavor is mildly aromatic. It bears regularly and stores well. Ripens in September
Ripening Period
- Early Fall - September
Other Features
- Stores well