TheDynamiteGeneral's video: As American as Apple Pie

History and Legends of Apples: The saying "As American as apple pie" is referred to as the symbol of America. The word "apple" comes from the Old English word "aeppel." there are approximately 10,000 different kinds of varieties of apples grown in the world with more than 7,000 of these varieties grown in the United States. Apples are a member of the rose family of plants and the blossoms are much like wild-rose blossoms. When the English colonists arrived in North America they found only crab apples. Crab apple trees are the only native apples to the United States. European settlers arrived and brought with them their English customs and favorite fruits. In colonial time, apples were called winter banana or melt-in-the-mouth. 1622 - Most historians fail to mention that those early orchards produced very few apples because there were no honey bees. Historical information indicates that colonies of honey bees were shipped from England and landed in the Colony of Virginia early in 1622. One or more shipments were made to Massachusetts between 1630 and 1633, others probably between 1633 and 1638. The Indians called the honeybees "English flies" and/or "white man's flies." A description of New York in 1670 claimed: "You shall scarce see a house, but the South side is begirt with Hives of Bees." READ MORE: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Fruit/Apples.htm Video from the BBC programme The Great British Bake Off, a look at how apple pie became the iconic American dish.