Today I'm going to take you through one more delight of my Motherland and let me tell you this delight is Seriously Delicious and definitely Mouth-watering.

Yessshhh!!! I am taking about the famous Apple which is also the famous delight among many other delights of Kashmir. Kashmir though blessed with its diverse Beauty for Mountains,lakes, landscapes,Snow etc is also famous for its unique production of fruits. Apples are though produced globally but the Apples from Kashmir have been able to maintain its unique identify at the Global Arena. The majority of Apples produced in Kashmir are majorily exported to European countries which have in recent times started taking huge interests in the Kashmiri Apples. Kashmir due to its topographical and geographical location does find itself very best for the production of Apples, as they do require a low temperature for Its production, so this temperate Fruit always shows surplus amount of production in this temperate zone Called Kashmir.

Kashmiri Apple has got many varieties and all are hugely demanded by the international market.

1.Ambri Kashmir :- It is widely famous for its crispiness, aroma, flavor and attractiveness. Generally this kind of Apple is fully ripe in month of October and stays fresh for a long period. Ambri Apple is blush red, slightly striped, medium in size and conical in shape.

2.American Trel
This kind of Apple is small and round shaped and quite juicy. American Trel is very crispy and sweet in taste. The skin of the fruit is white greenish and sweet. This apple ripens in September and is out in market by mid- September. Called American because it has got a huge demand from American people..

3.Delicious (Red Delicious)
Delicious or Red Delicious Apple is a world-popular and most widely grown variety of apple in Sopore region in Kashmir. Color of the skin is blush red and the texture is smooth.

4.Maharaji Apple
Maharaji Apple is a large sized apple with bright red color on a green base. has some conspicuous dots. Skin of the fruit is crisp, juicy, and aromatic yet taste is bit acidic.

The above mentioned varieties are thr most important ones, there are few more which find its demand locally.

The Apple has been introduced by British in our lands and Sine then people have largely taken it as their main Agricultural occupation. There are many mentions about the Kashmiri Apple in History and one famous mention among them is the mention by Famous Chinese Pilgrim Huen Tsang who travelled to Kashmir and complimented it. Sir Walter Lawrence has also mentioned the Ambri variety of apple in his famous Book The Valley of Kashmir.

I hope you Guys know the Famous saying

AN APPLE A DAY, KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY

The times have changed drastically, we people are blessed with this fruit and is easily available at our near places but the fruit adulteration like (Waxing) is cause of a big concern but anyways I am only talking about the blessings.

The Apple Orchads are hugely taken up by the people who live in outskirts of Kashmir valley as the availability of land is enormous.The farming of Apples in Kashmir is proudly taken by both Women and Men. When the fruit gets ripe, it's plucking is done by both Women and Men. The time period is full of fun as it goes traditional way, all the family members and relatives are involved in the process and the whole idea is also to socialise with a Happy Heart.

And yea one more thing We Kashmiris have a very peculiar thing associated with us. It's that Almost all Kashmiri Kids have their cheeks RED which is very funny and thus we call them Apple Cheeks.
The below photograph is the perfect example of it as this photograph got featured by many national and international newspapers and this photograph is not my work.

I hope I did my best to give you the insight of this delight.
Do give your views?