Apples have been a sweet addition to Jewish cooking for centuries, even if they probably weren’t actually found in the Garden of Eden. //

One of the most widely grown fruits in the world, the apple (Malus domestica) is said to originate in the mountainous region of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and northwest China, where forests of wild apples (Malus sieversii) have been growing for more than 4 million years. In fact, Almaty—the largest city in Kazakhstan—literally means “the place of apples.” From Central Asia the apple was brought to the Middle and Near East via the Silk Road, and then introduced to Europe by the Romans.