Apple geek or apple snob? Which one are you?
Let’s back up a bit, shall we….What exactly IS an apple geek?
To be clear…I am talking about an “apple geek” not an “Apple geek” (which, capitalized, would of course refer to those who are aficionados of Apple computer/phone products…sometimes also referred to as “Apple fanboys”, where appropriate…see video for how to spot one)
So yes…this blog coming from an orchard, you might assume “apple geek” refers to the APPLES YOU EAT…but I just wanted to be clear on that point!
From Wiktionary, a geek is “A person who is intensely interested in a particular field or hobby (…usually an esoteric subject of interest that is marginal to the social mainstream), and often having limited or nonstandard social skills.
Whereas a snob is (again, according to Wiktionary) “A person who wishes to be seen as a member of the upper classes and who looks down on those perceived to have inferior or unrefined tastes.”
I couldn’t find a direct example of an apple snob, but here’s a perfect example of coffee snobs for the idea of what I mean. (You may think it ridiculous or over-the top, but I bet you know people like this!) I’ll have you note that, interestingly, that clever little video was directed by Eric Appel. 🙂
An apple snob, then, would be one who, when meeting someone who says, “My favorite apple is Red Delicious” (or Granny Smith, McIntosh, or yes…even Honeycrisp) would frown in disdain, disgust, and try to put some distance between themselves and the poor sap who just doesn’t get what a truly good apple is.
Here at the farm, and amongst NSO customers and CSA members, I like to think – and hope – that we are all apple geeks, not snobs.
Let us be gleeful in our geeky love of wackily-named varieties such as: Crown Prince Rudolf, Bloody Ploughman, Esopus Spitzenberg, Kandil Sinap, Party Doll
Let us, geek-like, methodically and religiously fill in our Apple Passports (new improved version coming this year!!) with those esoteric and rare hard-to-find varieties such as: Amberoso, Golden Nugget, Hudson’s Golden Gem, Kidd’s Orange Red, Yates
Let us scour the tables each week for unique varieties to try which we’ve never seen before…greeting with delight (as much as Charlie did when he discovered Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket) gems such as: Egremont Russet, Guyandotte Pippin, Newell’s Winter, Splendour, Tara
Let us, rather than shame those Red Delicious fans, show them the way to pure bliss with flavorful delights such as: Florina, Keepsake, Rubinette, Crimson Gold, Gold Rush
Fellow apple geeks….let us unite and rejoice in our “esoteric subject of interest that is marginal to the social mainstream” and let us share that excitement with the world!
(PS. I’m really feeling we should have a tshirt/poster/bumper sticker design to this effect…any creative designers out there??)
