My never ending search to search out for the next apple I have not tasted, led me to Berlin Heights, Ohio and to Quarry Hill Orchards. Upon looking over their inventory of apples, I was excited to come and try the Suncrisp apple. Growing up with just the options of Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Granny Smith, I always preferred Golden Delicious (talk about the dark ages!). There is a soft spot in my heart for a yellow skinned apple. Blondee and Grimes Golden have come to be my favorite yellow skinned apples.

The Suncrisp apple was created by a crossing together a Golden Delicious with a cross of Cortland and Cox’s Orange Pippin. An apple that has a background like this has to be good, right? The apple came out of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station in 1994, developed by a fruit breeder with Rutgers University. The apple has two very describable traits – longevity and not prone to browning. This apple can last up to 6 months in storage, which is way better than it’s parent the Golden Delicious. They also tend to not brown when sliced. The apple ripens in early to mid October.

My Experience with this Apple (Rating Scale 1-10)

Overall Feeling:
If you have been turned off to yellow apples because of bland and boring Golden Delicious, give the Suncrisp a try. It is crisp as it name suggests. It has a firm, hard texture that reminds me of some of my favorite Russet style apples. Some describe the texture as being coarse. It has a thick skin, which I don’t mind at all but my wife is not a fan of. It’s an excellent out of hand eating apple. At first harvest the apple is more tart, but will get sweeter as it ages. I am eating one now 10 days after buying at the orchard and it has a sweet flavor balanced out with the right amount of tartness. I like it even more now than I did when I had my first bite at the orchard.

Although I have not tried it first hand yet (been enjoying them out of hand so much) I have heard that they are good option for baking. They would be fun to pair up with some tart apples in a pie or cobbler.

What I really love about cooking is that it never gets boring. There is always a new technique to try. I have made applesauce dozens of times. Most of the time I cook it in a slow cooker. It’s easy to throw the apples in it and forget about, without having to worry about the apples burning on the bottom of a pot. This has been the method I have used the last few years. Then one day it hit me. What would happen if I tried roasting the apples to make applesauce? I Googled the idea immediately and yes this is a thing people have done. I felt it sounded like something that I needed to do and once you taste it you will see why.

Why Roast Applesauce?
If the method I have been using works, then why change it up? What advantages is there to roasting the apples? There are two reasons why I like this method better now – the apples caramelize in the oven bringing out more flavor and the ending texture is better.

The dry heart of the oven help to brown the apples in a good way. The sugars in the fruit turn brown (which means they will turn black if you overcome them, so watch out!). You can get that added dimension of flavor any other way.

The texture is smooth, almost velvety. The sauce is thick, without being watery at all. The oven pulls away all the excess moisture. To get the peels off I simply run the apples through a food mill. Why bother peeling?

What Temperature Do You Roast the Apples at?
You want to get some nice carmelization, don’t be scared to turn that oven up. I would roast them at 425 degrees for about 30 to 45 mins. This is the same temperature that Martha Stewart uses for her roasted sauce. I tested it out and it worked perfectly. I did not agree with her about adding sugar. If you use the right apples it is not necessary (read my post on How to Select Apples for Applesauce Without Having to Add Sugar)

What Do You Roast the Applesauce In?
Try to pick your largest oven safe vessel. Last time I used a ceramic baking dish I picked up from Cost Plus World Market. I prefer cast iron as it dosages out the most even heat. A dutch oven is a good choice as you can fit tons of apples in it. If you have not cured or seasoned your dutch oven in a while, I would recommend doing that before. Curing involves rubbing the entire thing, top to bottom, with a coat of oil and then placing it in the oven empty. Even if yours comes already cured over time that wears out. Like with mine I ended up having my applesauce take on an unwanted black color – a telltale sign of a pot needing to be cured. I have just the standard jet black American made Lodge dutch oven. It’s nothing fancy but gets the job done. If you interested on how to restore and take care of a cast iron pan, watch this informative video below.

Spice It Up!
If you want to really put this sauce over the top thing about adding some spices. Feel free to add a stick of cinnamon or a piece of ginger. They can be easily removed when the sauce is done cooking. Cardamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg are also excellent additions. For ease use the powdered forms, but freshly grind whole spices if you can. The ground spices can just be stirred in at the end.

When you have tasted as many apples as I have it becomes harder and harder to find something new. The majority of apple orchards I come across have varieties I have already had. It takes a little more effort to find something new to me. When I was planning a family trip to the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley National Park (outside of Cleveland, Ohio, I spent some time searching for orchards that I might pass along the way. I looked at list upon list of apples until I came across a roster that I could sink my teeth into. I went from breathtaking waterfalls surrounded by a beautiful canvas of autumn leaves to bins of apples tht were just as breathtaking. I arrived at Quarry Hills Orchards in Berlin Heights, Ohio.

As I pulled into the parking lot I was greeted by the sights of many bins of apples with simple, yet attractive signage. This to me is a sign that these people care enough to put time into the little things. As I got out of the van, I quickly spotted apples that I had come to try – Hampshire and Suncrisp. I also saw the state apple of Ohio, Melrose, Pink Lady (which I don’t find much in the Midwest), and some Granny Smith with some beautiful red blush on them. Inside the market I found the ever popular Honeycrisp, but sitting right next to it was the Crimson Crisp apple, another on my to-try list. Honeycrisp fans looking for something a little more tart will love the Crimson. In addition to apples they had pears, including Asian pears, squash, cauliflower, etc – your typical fall veggies. The market also contained jams and jellies, popcorn, again the typical market fare. However, they also had a couple of unique things like Boiled Cider, which is cider that has been boiled down to the consistency of syrup, so can be used on pancakes.

Speaking of cider, they had their top secret blend of apples made into cider. As a true cider fan, I was skeptical when I heard that it was UV pasteurized. I have heard about this process, but may have only had cider that has been treated this way once or twice and it was rather forgetable. Not this time. This cider was the best I have had all season. Great flavor, texture, the acid/sweet balance was in perfect portion. My family loved it just as much as I did.

What really made this place as does any great orchard, is the people that run it. Everyone I met was warm and friendly, wanting to chat, and made sure I got to sample their wares. I had a blast just talking aples with Ben Gammie, who returned to the family business just last year after spending some time out west. You could tell that Ben and the staff were enjoying what they are doing – that their passion is there and they are not just going through the motions. I have been to orchards where you can tell their passion is gone and it’s really a sad sight. Quarry Hills orchards is an orchard on the move and I am looking forward to keeping touch and seeing what they have for the future – particularity the EverCrisp apples that they just planted in 2014.

At first glance it may seem that I don’t know how to spell pineapple. I am not here today to talk about pineapples, but a variety of apple – the Pitmaston Pine Apple. I love these heirloom varieties with these crazy fun names. I like my apples to have these kinds of names over all the four letter apples now appearing in stores – Gala, Fuji, Kiku, Jazz, Opal, etc. A name means so much more when it has more than marketing behind it.

Pitmaston Pine Apple is a very old variety. It dates back to the 1780s (Trees of Antiquity). The name Pitmaston comes from a nursey called Williams of Pitmaston.

My Experience with this Apple (Rating Scale 1-10)

Overall Feeling:
First off for the record I do not dedicate any pineapple flavor at all in this apple. I think maybe the name is more for the color. They do have a green-yellow hue like a pineapple does. Despite not living up to the pineapple name the flavor is rather good. This apple is sweet/tart. I am a big fan of the skin on russeted apples, so I enjoy the skin on this one. It’s juicy, but not as much as many of the modern varieties you find in the stores. I would buy these again, no doubt.

These apples are hard to find. They process two characteristics that commercial orchards do not want, small in size, and the russeting of the skin. This is shame, as this apple tastes better than most you will find at the store. Until we as consumers can show that we care more about flavor than size and appearance, these kinds of apples will only be kept alive by passionate apple growers and apple connoisseurs.

Here is a short video that I found on YouTube talking about the apple:

Where to Find Pitmaston Pine Apples
I got mine from Tree Mendus Farm in Eau Claire, Michigan. If you want to plant your own tree you can buy them from Trees of Antiquity.
Other sources include:
Salt Spring Apple Company (Salt Spring Island, BC)
Ela Family Farms (Hotchkiss, CO)
Montgomery Place Orchards (Red Hook, NY)

As early September rolled around my mind turned to apples. I was pumped up to have yet another chance to search out new and interesting apple varieties. So the weekend after Labor Day I headed out for a weekend trip to the west side of Michigan. I was particularly interested in visiting Tree-Mendus Orchards in Eau Claire, Michigan. I have enjoyed their apples and apricots I have purchased from my local Whole Foods Market so I wanted to visit the place myself. I figured thata place that grows over 250 varieties of apples they would have to have something new (or old/heirloom) for me to try. And they did not disappoint in the least.

The first apple I met as I entered their building was the Pink Sugar apple. Pink Sugar is a dull yellow apple with pinkish blush. It is believed to be a cross between a Red Delicious and Golden Delicious. I could not find any more information than that online. My tastebuds would have to do all the research themselves.

My Experience with this Apple on September 30, 2014 (Rating Scale 1-10)

Overall Feeling:
Well, they certainly named this apple right. It is super sweet, mainly due to the complete lack of acid in this apple. It’s like drinking a very mildly flavored sugar water. Without the acidicty that apple falls flat in the flavor department just as eating a slice of bread that has no salt in it. This apple browned incredibly fast, even as I was eating it – you could practicallyly watch the brown cover the apple like special effects in some action movie. The rest of the apples I purchased ended up going into a batch of applesauce to add some sweetness. That is about all this apple is good for, unless you are one that is trying to avoid any acid in your diet. It reminded me a lot of the Sweetie apples that are showing up in stores, much to my chargrin.

I am lead to believe that when most people are asked to picture a green apple – the Granny Smith appears in the bubble of their mind. This is the green apple that you find in stores from January to December, rain or shine. It is pretty much the only green apple you find in most grocery stores. Does that mean that it is the only green apple out there? You might see a few apples that may look greenish, a not as golden, Golden Delicious or even a Ginger Gold picked more green. America’s supermarkets are basically void of green apples not named Granny. Does America have room for more than one green apple in their produce aisle? As it turns out the Granny Smith is not the only apple with a green skin. I have a few of it’s similar colored cousins. What might be the biggest surprise of all to you is that at least one of them was super sweet. I am talking Gala-sweet here!

Green Dragon Apples

If there was ever an apple that proved to me that not all green apples are tart, it was the Green Dragon apple. This is an extremely sweet apple with the really sweet name has hardly any tartness to it all. It has a tropical like pear flavor if that makes any sense! Very juicy and refreshing. It is distributed by Frieda’s Produce. It’s one worth seeking out, if not to just trick your friends.

Rhode Island Greening Apples

Now this apple that dates back to the 1600s, is very much what you would think in a green apple. It’s quite tart. I don’t like eating these out of hand, however I absolutely love them for cooking or baking with. When cooked their flavor really shines, I would reach for these over a Granny anyday. They can be hard to find. I search them out every autumn.

Northwest Greening Apples

Another apple with the greening name. This one is not quite as tart as the Rhode Island Greening, so out of hand eating is an option. Reviews I have read of this apple say that it is a good cooking apple.

Shamrock Apples

I have only had these apples once a couple years ago. In my experience this apple was sweet-tart and not all that crisp. Other reviews online seem to say that it is a crisp apple maybe I just got one that was past it’s prime. The apple has a McIntosh-like flavor. It is in fact a cross between a McIntosh and a Golden Delicious.

The interesting thing about this apple is that is was developed as an alternative to Granny Smith in climates where it’s hard to grow Granny Smith. Grannies are a late season apple – they need a long growing season, which isn’t possible in areas like New England.

In my 50 plus apple reviews on this blog, I have spend alot of time looking through different apple databases, orchard listings, other people’s reviews and I have seen certain apples pop up time and again. Varieties that I never had before, but was highly encouraged to seek out. It’s always a great sense of personal success when I discover one of those apples. You can add to my apple that I have tasted list – the Macoun apple.

On appearance the Macoun looks a lot like a McIntosh and with good reason – it’s a cross between a McIntosh and a Jersey Black. It is a development of the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station – the same group responsible for the Empire apple. The apple is named after a Canadian fruit grower.

From what I read online Macouns can be a tricky apple. The flavor is at it’s peak in October, but the apple has a tendency to fall off the tree, so it’s often picked early. The tree also produce good one year and not as good the next. This is why these apples don’t have much of a commercial presences – more of just a cult following.

My Experience with this Apple on September 8, 2014 (Rating Scale 1-10)

Overall Feeling: Like I mentioned above the Macoun is a tricky apple. Picked too early and the flavor is not there. Picked too late and it’s too soft. It’s need to be like Goldilocks would want it – just right. I picked Macoun straight from the tree at Tree-Mendus Orchards in Eau Claire, Michigan. It was the second Monday of the month. The flavor wasn’t anything to write home about then, a sweeter McIntosh. Here I am eating one that has been in my fridge for 3 weeks and now the flavor has really come out. It has lost a little bit of crispiness but not enough to turn me off to it. It has a sweet, McIntosh-like flavor and is really juicy. I didn’t understand 3 weeks ago what the fuss was, but now I do. That’s the thing with apples that people don’t understand – their flavor and texture changes over time, some times for the better. A lot of later season apples are put into cold storage and then released in the winter months. Sometimes apple need a little age, like wine, cheese, or vinegar. It’s all about knowing the apple and tasting it at different times to know when it’s at it’s peak.

My daughter holding a Macoun she just picked!

Below you will find my ratings for the Macoun I ate today as I was writing this post.

My Experience with this Apple on September 30, 2014 (Rating Scale 1-10)

Overall Feeling:
As you can, the apple seems juicy now and the flavor is much improved. As I said before it did loss some crispiness and a bit of tartness. I enjoy these 3 week aged Macoun a lot more than the ones I picked off the first in early September.

Where to Find Macoun Apples
The Macoun has a strong following, so I thought I would list some orchards that grow this apple. This is by no means a complete list, just a few places I was able to find online. If there no one listed in your area, let me know I will try to help you find a source.

Connecticut
Belltown Hill Orchards (South Glastonbury, CT)

Michigan
Tree-Mendus (Eau Claire, MI)

New York
Fishkill Farms (Hopewell JCT, NY)

If you are someone that only buys their apples in a supermarket, there is an apple secret out there that you may have missed out on. Apples can be red or pink on the inside. I love surprising people with these kinds of apples. People don’t expect to see the bright color on the inside. My 3 year old daughter was especially surprised, she loves pink! I have talked about a couple other red/pink flesh apples () before. Today I am going to talk about the Hidden Rose apple.

According to Specialty Produce, the Hidden Rose was discovered in the early 1960s. It was marketed to the public until the 1980s. It was originally called Newell-Kimzey, but changed to the trademarked name of Hidden Rose. The trademark is held by Dragonberry Produce of Clackamas, Oregon. The Hidden Rose apples they distribute as certified organic. You may also see it going by the name of Airlie Red Flesh, name after it’s city of origin.

Hidden Rose is a perfect name for this apple. Most people would not expect to open it up and see the rose colored flesh. Although as someone who has eaten his share of apples, I can tell from the outside. The apple has a muted yellow color, it’s almost opaque.

My Experience with this Apple (Rating Scale 1-10)

Overall Feeling:
Hidden Rose is an apple for those that like to eat a more tart apple. It has just enough sweetness, but by no means is this a sweet apple. It’s crisp and juicy but not extremely juicy. It has a good, sharp flavor. My wife thought that this would make an excellent apple for dipping into peanut butter or your favorite nut butter. Hidden Rose would make a beautiful applesauce however it would be too tart for my taste without adding some sweetness.

Where to Find Hidden Rose apples
Here is a list of a few sources you can get Hidden Rose apples from:
Dragonberry Produce (Clackamas, Oregon)
Tree-Mendus (Eau Claire, Michigan)
Scott Farm (Dummerston, Vermont)
Thomas Paine Farms (Kings Valley, Oregon)
Maple Valley Orchards (Gillet, Wisconsin)
Melissa’s Produce

“Spies for Pies” is the cry every fall for pie lovers searching for their favorite pie apple. Around these parts the Northern Spy is seen as the quintessential pie apple. Who needs a Granny Smith, when you have an apple that embodies both the tartness and a great flavor when cooked. I will take a Northern Spy any day.

Northern Spy was believed to have been discovered sometime between 1800-1849 in Rochester, New York. It is popular in my home state of Michigan as well as New York and Ontario, most of the country might not know of it’s existence. The apple has issues that many commercial orchards don’t want to deal with – odd shapes, not bright colors, suspectiable to disease like bitter pit. People’s passion for this apple has keep it alive and well in certain regions of the country.

Where to Find Northern Spy Apples in Michigan
Below you will find a list of orchards and farms that grow Northern Spy apples in Michigan. I will add other areas if there is an interest (leave a comment below if you are interested). Check with each individual farm about availability. Many you will be able to pick your own Northern Spy. Begin looking for Northern Spy in October, usually around the middle of the month. It is one of the later apples to ripen. Be wary of Northern Spy picked in September, they may not have developed their full flavor.

Detroit/Ann Arbor Metro Area
Kapnick Orchards (Britton, MI)
Wasem Fruit Farm (Milan, MI)
Blake Orchards (Armada, MI)
Erwin Orchards (South Lyon, MI)
Plymouth Orchards (Plymouth, MI)
Miller’s Big Red Apple Orchard (Romeo, MI)
Long Family Orchard & Cider Mill (Commerce Township, MI)
Brookwood Fruit Farm (Almont, MI) – besides Northern Spy, this orchard grows Novaspy, this is a Northern Spy cross with hints of vanilla flavor! They also grow the Spigold which is a Northern Spy – Golden Delicious cross that is just as good for pies and very flavorful.

Traverse City Area
King Orchards (Central Lake, MI)
Farmer White’s (Williamsburg, MI)
Altonen Orchards (Williamsburg, MI)

Southwest Michigan
Corey Lake Orchards (Three Rivers, MI)
Schultz Fruitridge Farms (Mattawan, MI)

For peeling Northern Spies for pies, I recommend this peeler from Zyliss