Choose the Right Apple
Source of Recipe
Grandpoohbah
In the wide world of fruit, apples are a constant and familiar presence. Unfortunately
this also means that, for many of us, apples have sunk to the status of the mundane
when placed next to more exotic choices in the fruit bowl.
Mushy, bland apples showed up in our school lunches, often abandoned after a few
obliging bites. However, the reason that many apples are so uninspiring is not
because they're inherently blah, but because they are old. Many apples have been
stored in a warehouse for a year before making their way to your grocery store. Try
an apple that's been plucked straight from the tree: there's no going back once you've
sunk your teeth into that resilient, crispy, sweet, juicy flesh.
There is a greater variety of apples available to us now than ever before, so you
never need to eat a boring apple again. In fact, there are over 1,000 varieties of
apple, and over 100 of them are commonly available in supermarkets, farmers'
markets, roadside stands and backyard trees across the nation.
Apple Picking
While there are so many apples to choose from, some tend to be more appropriate
for certain kinds of dishes than others. Apples for cooking and baking should be firm
and flavorful so their texture and taste can stand up to the heat. For making
applesauce, choose an apple with a softer composition that will break down into a
smooth puree. For eating fresh, it's all a matter of preference: no matter whether you
prefer honey-sweet apples or puckery-tart ones, bone-jarringly crunchy or soft and
yielding, there's an apple out there for you. Check out our guide to apple varieties
and their ideal uses in our know-how feature, Finding the Perfect Apple for Your
Pie.
No matter which branch of the apple family tree you prefer to nibble from, there are
a few things that all good apples should have in common. Choose firm apples that
are heavy for their size. You can steer clear of mushy, over-watered apples by
checking the bottoms and choosing those that are closed, not open. The apples
should have a fresh smell, not a musty one, and the skin should be smooth and taut
with no soft spots. Wrinkled skin, mushy spots, and a hollow, spongy feel are traits
of an old, improperly stored apple.
Sometimes there will be a sign on the apple bin that says "New Crop." This means
that they've been picked recently, and that's what you want. Apples are at their best
from late summer to mid-autumn, so give these fall fruits their just desserts (and
breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks) while the season lasts!
Crisp, juicy McIntosh. Fresh, tart Granny Smith. Smooth, mellow Golden
Delicious. The tremendous variety of flavors, colors, and textures of apples make
them a great favorite for snacking, baking, juicing, or saucing. But how do you
choose which apple to use?
When making pies, choose an apple with good flavor and a firm texture that holds up
well when baked. Find apples that are firm, with no blemishes or bruises, and that
feel heavy for their size. To make one 9-inch pie you'll need about 8 or 9
medium-sized apples, or approximately 3 pounds.
Here is a starter list of some of the varieties of apples that make wonderful pies.
Don't be afraid to experiment with the more exotic varieties available at farmers'
markets. These apples sometimes have a shorter shelf life but the flavors can be quite
enticing. Keep in mind that some of the best pies are made with a combination of
apple varieties, so mix and match apple types to suit your taste.
We Are the Apples of Your Pie!
When making pies, choose an apple with good Cortland: The Cortland is juicy and
slightly tart. Works great in double-crust pies, cobblers, and crisps.
Golden Delicious: The Golden Delicious is sweet, with a rich, mellow flavor. An
excellent all-around cooking apple.
Jonathan: The Jonathan is moderately tart, with a rich, slightly spicy apple flavor.
Holds its shape well. Try in open-faced tarts and pies.
McIntosh: The juicy and crisp McIntosh tends to break down when cooked, so it's
best suited for double-crust pies, cobblers, and crisps.
Rome Beauty: The Rome Beauty is one of the best baking apples. It is a richly
flavored hard apple. Perfect for all kinds of baking.
Baldwin: The Baldwin is fairly tart apple that has just a touch of sweetness. A good
all-purpose cooking apple.
Northern Spy: Firm and sweetly tart, the Northern Spy is especially suited for
open-faced pies and tarts.
Granny Smith: One of the most popular apples used in baking and cooking. The
Granny Smith is tart and crisp. Makes a good all-purpose cooking apple.
Winesap: The Winesap is very firm and aromatic, with a spicy bite. A great
combination of tart and sweet flavors
.
Jonagold: A blend of Jonathan and Golden Delicious apples, offering a unique
tangy-sweet flavor. With a yellow-green base and a blush stripe, Jonagold is
excellent both for eating fresh and for cooking.
Arkansas Black: A medium to large apple with a deep purplish color. Firm, coarse
texture and good flavor. Good for sauce, pies and baking.
Ida Red: The much under-appreciated Ida is a cross of the Jonathan and Wagener
varieties. Bright red with a distinctive tangy and tart Jonathan-like flavor, the Ida is
bigger than the Jonathan and can be relied on to keep its shape during baking.
Empire: A red, medium sized McIntosh-type fruit. Firm-textured and slightly tart, the
much underrated Empire is a fine all purpose apple good for sauce, pies, baking,
salads, fresh eating and freezing.
Liberty: The Liberty is a small to medium sized McIntosh type also. It is tart with a
coarse texture and red over green color. It is good for sauces, pies, baking and
freezing.
Mutsu (Crispin): This large, yellow-green fruit is very juicy and has a mostly sweet
flavor. It is great for fresh eating, salads, freezing, sauce, pies and baking.
Ozark Gold: The Ozark Gold is a large, yellow fruit resistant to russetting and fine for
eating fresh, baking in pies and cakes and making sauce.
Spartan: Also a McIntosh type, the Spartan is a semi-firm, medium-sized, dark red
fruit. It has an aromatic, fine flavor and is well suited to sauce, pies and baking as
well as fresh eating.
York: Firm, crispy and juicy, the shiny red York (also known as York Imperial) has
a winy flavor and firm texture that make it a good candidate for baking. This apple is
medium to large sized and also great for eating fresh, as well as sauce and pies.
The following varieties are better suited for making applesauce or eating raw:
Fuji: The Fuji was developed by crossing the Japanese Mutsu (Crispin) with a
California Winesap. Its spicy, crisp sweetness makes it excellent out of hand or as
applesauce. Varies from yellow-green with red highlights to very red.
Gala: Has a similar shape to the Fuji, but a more polished look. Although the skin
may be thicker and more leathery than that of the Fuji, the flesh is just as inviting. A
crisp, sweet taste that can't be beat. Heart-shaped and medium sized, the Gala has a
distinctive yellow-orange skin with red striping. Great for salads or as an
'out-of-hand' snack!
Braeburn: High impact flavor. The sweet, crisp, aromatic Braeburn blends sweetness
and tartness just right for snacks and salads. Its color varies from greenish-gold with
red sections to nearly solid red.
Red Delicious: America's favorite apple, right up there with baseball and hot dogs for
all-American popularity. A five star snacking apple. Mild-flavored, sweet and juicy.
Red Delicious has a deep ruby skin and a classic heart shape.
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