Continue reading »]]> Happy New Year! Time for the first fruit variety review of 2012. I am at Whole Foods today, using their wonderful free wireless internet. As I walked in the door, I was immediately greeted by an apple variety never before seen by my eyes – the Candy Crisp. The apple is a nice golden color that looks similar in a shape to a Red Delicious (it’s likely that the Red Delicious is part of Candy Crisp’s parentage). It has bumps on the bottom like a Red. The Candy Crisp skin is smooth with no russeting (browning of the skin). Most of the apples had a nice appealing red blush on them.

This apple was discovered in Hudson Valley area of the state of New York. It came from a chance seedling. The ones I bought were grown in Ellsworth, Michigan at Royal Farms, which is known for their cherry juice concentrate. The apple ripens in early October and can last in storage for 4 months, which makes it a great winter apple.

My Experience with this Apple (Rating Scale 1-10)
Crispiness: 8
Tartness : 1
Apple Flavor: 5
Sweetness: 10
Juiciness: 9

Overall Feeling: If this apple wasn’t crisp and sweet I would say it’s guility of false advertising. But it definately meets up to it’s name. It’s a very sweet, crisp apple. There is pretty much no acidic to be found. It’s an incredibly juicy apple. This variety would make a great option as part of a mix for apple cider. Flavor wise its not bad, but not anything spectular. It has almost a pear like taste. The lack of any tartness does make the taste a bit one dimensional. But overall it’s a nice apple to be munching on in the winter, and munching it out of hand is this apple’s best use. It’s a bit too sweet for baking or cooking on it’s own. I would mix them with some tart apples (like a Granny Smith or Northern Spy) if you wanted to make a pie or applesauce. It would especially be a good mix in applesauce, as you could get away with only using the apples natural sugar.

One more thing to point out is that the apple oxidizes rather quickly. It was already starting to turn brown as I was slicing pieces off to eat. Probably not a good choice for a salad bowl in terms of aesthetics.

Continue reading »]]> This has been written exclusively for Eat Like No One Else by Reece Orchards, a family-owned and operated apple and peach orchard in Ellijay, GA.

If you’ve ever tasted a variety of apples, or used the wrong type of apples in a recipe, you know the difference apples have between types. If you’re considering cooking with apples this Holiday season, don’t just settle for any type of apples you find at the grocery, know what apples provide your recipe and how they have very different characteristics in your cooking.

Knowing the Difference
Determining the difference between apple flavors, textures and purposes is a must. Most apples fall within 3 categories; eating apples, cider apples and cooking apples. While some may overlap slightly, it’s possible to place apples in one of these three categories. Eating apples tend to have very simple flavors and lack certain characteristics such as juiciness, potent flavor or ideal texture for cooking. Cider apples tend to be apples that are softer and possibly past season apples that have already fallen or are unable to be used for eating or cooking. Cooking apples tend to be highly flavorful apples that unlike eating and cider apples hold their texture and flavors more when cooked.

Names to Look For
If you’re looking for some go-to apple choices this Holiday season, there are some names you can trust depending on the recipe. Again, when cooking apples, finding full-flavored, firmer types of apples is a must. Braeburn, Granny Smith, Jonathans, Jonagolds and Rome Beauty apples are popular cooking apples we feature from our orchard. When selecting these apples consider the flavor they carry. For example Jonagolds and Granny Smiths are tarter apples and perfect for tarts and pies. Others will carry flavors best used in cobblers and other goods.
If you’re looking to make some homemade apple sauce it’s important to determine your needs. Crisp apples such as Granny Smith and Jonagold apples will make a chunkier sauce, while Braeburn and MacIntosh apples will create a smoother, juicier sauce due to their softer composition.

Have Fun with your choices
Cooking with apples can be a fun way to experiment with cooking. Don’t be afraid to mix different types of apples in recipes to create one of a kind flavors and textures. If you have a juicy, soft apple you love, but want to add some tartness to the recipe, find another apple that provides the desired texture. If you live near an orchard or in a popular apple growing area find a local grower that might offer unique apples to your area. An experienced orchard should be able to direct you to the apples that meet your cooking needs. If all else fails, experiment and find your own one-of-a-kind apple mixture. Regardless, have fun and safe Holiday season this year.

Continue reading »]]> This evening, on the NPR show “All Things Considered” they aired a just under 5 minute piece on the SweeTango apple. It was not long ago that I felt like I was in the minority that knew SweeTango was one of the most crisp and best tasting available. Now it’s appearing on a national show! The timing of this thought is a little bit off as the season for SweeTango is just about over. SweeTango ripens in early September. However it does keep pretty well. You can still find them some places. I have seen them in 3 grocery stores in Michigan (Busch’s, Plum Market, and Westborn Market) in the last week. When the apple first came out this year, I came up with a list of places that were carrying them. So you can still check out these sources, to see if they still have any.

In case you missed the show, you can listen to it below.

SweeTango Related Posts
What is a SweeTango Apple Like?
Honeycrisp vs. SweeTango : Which is Better?
Baked SweeTango Apple Cobbler

Continue reading »]]> You have heard the saying good things come in small packages. I am taking that saying and seeing if it works with the apple variety I am reviewing today. The Lady Api apple has to be the smallest apple that I have tried. This apple is a little smaller than a plum with a plum like shape. The skin is red on the outside and some of the color blends into the flesh, maybe a pink colored flesh, which is quite pretty. People have used these apples as decorations for a long time, leading them to be nicknamed “Christmas Apple”. This apple has been around for a long time, even longer than our country. It was discovered in France during the 1600s.

My Experience with this Apple (Rating Scale 1-10)
Crispiness: 6
Tartness : 7
Apple Flavor: 4
Sweetness: 5
Juiciness: 5

Overall Feeling: A mainly tart apple with some sweetness. It had an average to below average flavor and average when it comes to juiciness. Not something I would buy again, unless I planted to dry it for decorating. Not necessarily a good cooking either, because with the size of these things it would be a lot of work with peeling and coring.

I purchased these apples at Produce Station in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They were grown by Eastman’s Antique Apples.

Continue reading »]]> New York 75414-1 sounds more like a taxi cab id than an apple. Yet I found an apple at a store with that exact name. Not the most creative name ever given a piece of fruit. As you imagine this apple was naturally developed in the state of New York (although the ones I bought are Michigan grown). It was developed by the Cornell/Geneva breeding program. The apple has the advantage of being scab-resistant, which is a good thing for the grower as the apple doesn’t need to be sprayed against apple scab.

My Experience with this Apple (Rating Scale 1-10)
Crispiness: 7
Tartness : 4
Apple Flavor: 2
Sweetness: 6
Juiciness: 5

Overall Feeling: One website I read said that this is the kind of apple you either love or hate. Well I was eating the apple the flavor got worse and worse in my mouth until I wanted to spit it out. So don’t count me among the lovers of this apple. I also read someone describing it as chalky and I can agree with that. I think this is the worst apple I have had all season long (besides a Red Delicious I had to try while working at an orchard).

I purchased these apples at Produce Station in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They were grown by Eastman’s Antique Apples.

Continue reading »]]> When people see a green colored apple, most would assume it’s a Granny Smith. I haven’t had a lot of other apples that were a true green color, even when ripe. Don’t be fooled, the green apple you see pictured on the left is not a Granny Smith, but a Shamrock apple. This apple is relatively new on the scene, only first appearing in 1992 as a cross between a McIntosh spur and a Golden Delicious spur. It’s origin is in Summerland, British Columbia.

My Experience with this Apple (Rating Scale 1-10)
Crispiness: 4
Tartness : 4
Apple Flavor: 6
Sweetness: 6
Juiciness: 8

Overall Feeling: Well it may have the appearance of a Granny Smith, it doesn’t necessarily taste like one. The Shamrock apples I had were more sweet than tart. I wonder if this apple is more tart when first picked like a McIntosh or a Golden Delicious. The flavor was slightly above average. It is a juicy, but not that crisp. It does hold it’s shape though when cooked. You could probably get away with using less sugar in baking applications. I made fried apples with these and found that I should have used less sugar, but they did hold up really well.

Continue reading »]]> Straight out of the Shenandoah valley in Virginia, comes the Shenandoah apple. It was discovered in the 1940s. It’s parents are the Winesap and Opalescent apples. The apple is suppose to be large in size, but the sample I got was rather on the small side.

My Experience with this Apple (Rating Scale 1-10)
Crispiness: 6
Tartness : 3
Apple Flavor: 6
Sweetness: 6
Juiciness: 8

Overall Feeling: Shenandoah apples are juicy, sweet with a moderately good flavor. They holds shape when cooked. If you do use them for cooking, you shouldn’t need as much sugar. People do like to make pies with this apple.

I purchased these apples at Produce Station in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They were grown by Eastman’s Antique Apples.

Continue reading »]]> When we think of Germany in the first half of the 20th century, probably not a lot of good thoughts come to mind. But besides playing the villain during that time, Germany was the birthplace of a new variety of apple, called the Holstein. This apple is a late ripening apple that probably came from the popular European apple, Cox’s Orange Pippin. I have heard that the Holstein has done well in apple tasting events, so I was looking forward to sinking my teeth in.

My Experience with this Apple (Rating Scale 1-10)
Crispiness: 3
Tartness : 7
Apple Flavor: 6
Sweetness: 6
Juiciness: 8

Overall Feeling: I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I was expecting more out of this apple. It’s not a bad apple at all. It has a decent flavor, but not as flavorful as I was believing it would have. It is a sweet-tart apple that is a bit more tart than sweet. The apple was juicy, but not all that crisp. The apple will hold it’s shaped when cooked, making it a multiple purpose apple.

I purchased these apples at Produce Station in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They were grown by Eastman’s Antique Apples.

Continue reading »]]> You have heard the saying “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”. Well I can add to that, “don’t judge an apple by it’s skin”. That is especially true with any variety of Russett apple. These apples are as brown as a Russett potato. A lot of people mistake them for Asian Pears or Bosc pears, but I assure you they are apples. There are several apples carrying the name Russett. I am going to start today with the Russett Beauty. This apple ripens in early September, but is a good keeper. I ate one yesterday and it will still pretty firm.

Information about this variety was hard to come by. I only found a couple websites that said anything about it and they didn’t have much to say. So onto my ratings.

My Experience with this Apple (Rating Scale 1-10)
Crispiness: 8
Tartness : 7
Apple Flavor: 9
Sweetness: 8
Juiciness: 7

Overall Feeling: Wow, talk about an apple eating experience. This apple has it all. It’s crisp, it’s sweet but with a tartness that adds an amazing dimension. And the flavor is strong. The only other Russett I had was the Golden Russett, which is pretty much just sweet with a mild flavor. This is why I love searching for new apple varieties, you never know what unknown gem you might find.

I purchased these apples at Produce Station in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They were grown by Eastman’s Antique Apples.

Continue reading »]]> In our modern day supermarket, an apple is something that never disappears. No matter what time of year it is there will be apples. But does that mean there is still a season for apples? I think so. Not all apples will appear in the store at all times. You typically will find well know varieties like Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, and Gala in the stores all year round. But some varieties only appear for a short time and some only at a local orchard or farmer’s market.

For me I like to only but apples when they are at their peak. That would be from about August until the start of spring. Below you will find my guide for shopping for apples at their peak. I strictly buy local grown Michigan apples all the way until the winter. Then the majority of the winter apples I buy were grown in the state of Washington.

August
This marks the beginning of the season. These early apples tend not to keep very long. Some I think if you looked at them wrong, would turn to crack or rot right before your eyes. The early apples are dominated by tart ones, such as Transparent and Vista Bella. These tart apples are good for making applesauce, which is what I tend to do more of at the beginning of the season. The best baking apples are yet to come.

As for out of hand eating, Paula Red and Gingergold are two great apples that are available in this time, but like their counterparts have a short shelf life.

September
Now this is when things really begin to pick up. A good majority of the apples ripen in September. This month features some of the best and most popular. Honeycrisp and it’s offspring SweeTango hit store shelves right around Labor Day. This is also when you need to get your McIntosh apples. The peak of their season is right at the start of September, that is when they are more tart and crisp. Another popular apple, the sweet Gala are also at peak this time of year.

I still like to make sauce in September (McIntosh are a great sauce apple). But if you are in the mood for baking, Cortland, Empire, and Rhode Island Greening apples are at their peak. And don’t forget about the Jonathans, they too are a September ripener. Still the best pie apples are yet to come.

October
Now this is when you want to get your baking apples. Ida Red, Granny Smith, and Northern Spy apples all ripen by mid to late October. These are the best of the best for baking a pie or making an apple crisp.

Fans of the sweet Gala apples should be changing over to buying Fuji and Cameo which are both sweet apples but are going to be more crisp this time of year than the Galas.

November-December
The last 2 months on the calendar are pretty slow going for apples. All the apples with good shelf lives will be available, but you don’t see many new varieities hit the market place. One exception, I found last year was the Opal apple, which is a crisp, sweet, yellow apple.

Winter
Now you might think winter would not be a time when a lot of varieties hit the market place, but that isn’t the case. There are a lot of apples making their debut in the winter months. Most of these were harvested in October and placed into cold storage for either two reasons: 1) Because they will taste better as they age, without becoming too soft 2) To fill the void once the other popular apples are well past their prime

Some of the winter varieties include the Pinata, which is crisp apple with a great flavor that contains a hint of something tropical. It is grown in Washington, by Stemilt Growers. You also have the Lady Alice, Junami and Jazz apples.

Spring is the End
When the spring time comes, there isn’t much of in the way of apples. From this point until July is the time of year you will less likely to find apples in the house. I might grab something from the store to make applesauce with early summer berries, but besides that it’s back to waiting until the first new apple hits the farmer’s market.