Apples
Source of Recipe
mamasblog
It’s time for harvesting once again, and of course, apple picking is something we have done for years. Each year we would pick bushels and bushels of apples.
Although apples are around all year – it seems that the fall of the year is apple season and that is when they seem to taste best. And it’s nice to have a good variety of apples to enjoy!
Apples that "go to pieces" when cooked are usually best for applesauce; those that keep their shape are best for baking whole. Tart apples are good for cooking; sweeter apples, for eating raw.
Whether you buy them just for eating, or for baking and cooking – here’s a few tips to help you in your apple selection:
Aceymac are quite similar to McIntosh in taste, appearance, shape and flesh but a bit firmer – close to Spartan.
Blushing Golden has almost half it’s surface covered with a dirty orange-pink blush with rough skin that is bruise resistant and doesn’t shrivel. It’s yellowish white flesh has a sub acid flavor and a fermented aftertaste.
Buff/Granny Buff is a large sized apple with a flat, rectangular convex shape; ribbed at the eye and prominently on the body. Its flesh is fine-grained greenish-white – crisp and sweetly flavored.
Chestnut Crab is a large cooking/dessert crab apple that is reddish/bronze in color. It’s flesh is crisp, sweet and juicy with a pleasant nut-like flavor.
Chieftan are medium in size, round and bright red. It’s white flesh is firm and juicy with a flavor that is sub acid – milder than a Jonathan but more sprightly than Delicious.
Cortland is a hybrid that is ideal for snacking and salads having a white crisp flesh and doesn’t brown easily when sliced like other varieties do.
Crispin/Mutsu is said to make the very best pies, but is also a good snacking apple.
Delicious/Golden Delicious is one of the best eating apples that can also be used in salads, baking, pies and sauces. Large and conic shaped, crispy and juicy with a mild distinctive flavor.
Delicious/Red Delicious has a deep red skin over a sweet flavored flesh. Good to use in salads and great for snacking but not often recommended for cooking.
Earligold is a Washington State apple of medium size with a clean yellow skin.
Empire apples are New York grown – between McIntosh and Red Delicious with a dark red skin and a creamy white juicy flesh that is sub acid. Good for making cider.
Empress are medium-sized apples that are excellent for eating and similar to Jonamacs.
Fuji are a tall, medium fruit with a yellowish-green skin that has an orangish red flush and darker stripes. Fuji are crisp, with a slightly sub acid white flesh. These keep well.
Gala/Royal Gala are a yellow-skinned apple with bright orange-red on it. These are firm, juicy and have a yellow-white flesh with a sweet/slightly tart flavor.
Gala Supreme are similar to Gala with striped red color and a snappy sweet flavor.
Granny Smith is a green, crisp, tart apple which is an excellent keeper and usually used in pies and baking.
Idareds are a good keeping apple and great for eating. They are pale green-yellow with bright crimson-red striping, firm and have a pleasant flavor. Used in baking and sauces.
Jerseymacs are medium-sized apples with yellow-green splashes having a crisp, juicy flesh and a tart flavor.
Jonagold are a large fruit striped red over yellow with a firm, crackling, juicy flesh – slightly tart, rich, full flavor. These are excellent for eating and for desserts.
Jonalicious has the taste of a Red Delicious and the tartness of Jonathan with a crisp flesh making it ideal for eating and cooking.
Jonamac is a cross between a Jonathan and McIntosh with a firm, crisp flavor similar to McIntosh.
Jonathan is a good eating apple and keeps well. Mediums-sized fruit with red striping having a crisp, juicy flesh with a sub acid taste.
Liberty is a McIntosh type apple that is large, red blush covering nearly all the yellow fruit. It’s flavor develops during storage.
Macoun is between a McIntosh and Jersey Black – shaped like a McIntosh with more striping and deeper red coloring – dark purple over a green background; firm, aromatic and excellent for eating.
McIntosh is a deep red fruit having white, firm flesh that is tender and juicy.
Mutsu/Crispin a good eating apple, good for sauces and cider – ripens to yellow.
Niagra apples are medium to large in size with deep red blush and stripe over pale yellow tough skins having white flesh that is similar to McIntosh, very sweet and juicy.
Northern Spy/Red Spy, Red Northern Spy are large, round greenish-yellow fruit with pinkish red stripes or russet patches. Firm, but yet tender, crisp and juicy yellowish flesh. Good in sauces and pies.
Paula Red is a good eating apple that is small to medium in size with a mild taste.
Rome Beauty is a very round fruit, medium to large in size having a thick skin, great for baking or drying. Not suitable for drying because of its dryish flesh.
Spartans are a medium sized dark red (almost mahogany) dessert quality apples having a pure white flesh, crisp and sweet with some acidity. Firmer than McIntosh.
Sweet Winesap is great for desserts and baking, has a tough skin of pale yellow or green with bright light red stripes having a nearly white, firm flesh that is moderately crisp, tender, juicy and distinctly sweet.
Winesap are medium sized dark red fruit with crisp, juicy yellow flesh with a spicy flavor.
20-Ouncers have a green/yellow skin with a white flesh that is firm and mildly sweet. Great for baking and eating.
When buying:
Look for smooth skin with few bruises. Too many bruises mean the apple may rot.
Choose apples with a bright and sparkly color.
When storing:
Apples keep best when refrigerated. Store them in a plastic bag or the drawer to keep them fresh.
Check them often. Remove any decayed apples. One rotten apple can indeed spoil the whole barrel!
Raw, cut apples may darken. Prevent this by dipping them in a fruit juice like lemon, orange, grapefruit, or pineapple – before adding other ingredients.
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