From the kitchens of medieval Europe to the orchards of Anglo-Saxon England, the apple became far more than just a fruit. It was medicine, it was myth, it was ritual.

In part two of our apple series, John and Patrick explore how crab apples were pressed into sharp, sour verjuice to season everything from pigs’ feet to plague remedies, how Anglo-Saxon charms and midwinter wassailing blended Christianity with ancient fertility rites, and how monks carried apple cuttings—and their spiritual symbolism—across the continent.

From the orchard-cemeteries of St. Gall to the fruit catalogues of Charlemagne, apples became embedded in the medieval imagination. And just as they took root in law codes, legends, and royal gardens, they also crept into the realm of story—appearing in myths of archers, kings, and poisoned fruit.

Join John and Patrick as they uncover how the humble apple became a cornerstone of medieval life, belief, and lore…

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