When you think about apples, you probably imagine the shiny green and red spheres found in piles at your local grocery store. Maybe your mind goes to a more specific place; conjuring up a Pink Lady or a Fuji. Ask artist William Mullan what appears in his head and he'll describe a piece of fruit with neon pink flesh and bright berry overtones, or one with a black, gnarled exterior and snow white, subacid interior. Mullan wouldn't be making it up either. After five years spent living the life of a botanical explorer, researching, discovering, and documenting rare varietals, he knows better than anyone of that there's a whole world of unique, beautiful, and one-of-a-kind apples out there. And with his new hardcover photo book, aptly named "Odd Apples," you can see for yourself.
The first step in Mullan's journey into the world of apples began while shopping at Waitrose, a supermarket chain in the United Kingdom, where he grew up. There, Mullan stumbled upon a "crusty potato looking thing" called an Egremont Russet, which wasn't something he typically gravitated towards when it came to fruit. Taking a bite, he was "completely blown away," Mullan recalls. He describes the taste as nutty and representing the epitome of fall. "It tasted like it had been slow baked in the sun."