in Aqua Scripto on 7 Jan 2006  •  Link

The mention of a common item such as an apple in January must about rarity of storage of an apple of the Bramley that can be stored and brought out in late winter for cooking.

San Diego Sarah on 6 Oct 2021  •  Link

Apple of my eye

To be the apple of someone’s eye is to be their most adored companion, but what exactly is an eye apple?

This idiom is one of the oldest in the English language, traced back to the 9th century. Back then, it was assumed that the pupil of the eye was a round, solid object, and it was often compared to an apple, as apples were a commonly known round object.

The delicate nature of sight (and its tendency to fade with age) made vision precious and over the years the phrase “apple of my eye” came to be used in reference to anything or anyone a person held dear.

San Diego Sarah on 8 Sep 2024  •  Link

I wonder if Pepys knew that the Latin name for apples is malum, which is also the word for evil?

The Bible never specifies what the forbidden fruit was in the Garden of Eden. We tend to think that it was an apple that was eaten by Adam and Eve, but the Bible does not specify what kind of fruit grew on the tree of forbidden knowledge.
This omission has led to much speculation amongst believers and scholars, with figs, grapes, pomegranates, and citrons all suggested as candidates.

The apple emerged as the common consensus because its Latin name is malum, which is also the word for evil — a linguistic quirk that apparently seemed too poignant to ignore. Nothing in the original text suggests this is anything more than an etymological coincidence, but the association has stuck.

More fascinating if unrelated info from:
https://historyfacts.com/science-…