When you are up against the dog days of summer, there is a sign that relief is coming – the first appearance of apples at the farmer’s market. I picked up some transparent apples at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market, grown by Nemeth Orchards. These apples may look like a golden delicious with their yellow/green colored skin, but do not be fooled. These apples are one of the first to ripen, as soon as early July. They are an older variety that you do not find at the mega mart.
My Experience with this Apple (Rating Scale 1-10)
Crispiness: 2
Tartness : 9
Apple Flavor: 5
Sweetness: 2
Juiciness: 8
Overall Feeling: Before I bought these apples I was told they were good for making applesauce, so that was my plan all along, But before I cooked my sauce, I tried one and knew there was no way I wanted to take another bite. These are extremely tart apples. They are also juicy apples that aren’t too crisp, which is what makes them perfect for applesauce. So I made up a batch, adding some brown sugar and cinnamon. It needed a good amount of sugar to balance out the tartness (I do not think I achieved balance). If this apple sounds appealing to you, then check your local farmer’s market to see if you find these apples. But remember they will be gone before the popular varieties are on the scene.
Instructions on How to Make the Applesauce:
This is pretty basic. All I do is just peel the apples, slice them up and place them into a pot. I add a little bit of water so they don’t stick before the apples can unleash their own water. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until the apples are mush. Then add brown sugar and ground cinnamon to taste. You can use an immersion (stick) blender to puree the sauce if you want it to be smoother.
Other early varieties include the Red Astrachan. Click here to read more about it.
8 comments
4 pings
Meredehuit says:
August 5, 2010 at 3:04 pm (UTC -6)
What an enjoyable post! My Dad owned an apple orchard. Red Astrachan is the apple I learned to make apple pies with as a young girl. I’ve never seen nor heard of this variety for many years. So glad it’s still around. And wish I could take a bite!
Janet says:
September 2, 2010 at 3:05 pm (UTC -6)
I just canned 38 pints of applesauce made with Transparent apples. There’s a much easier way to make any applesauce. Quarter/core the apples with skin On, and add a bit of water and simmer until cooked and mushy. Then run the batch thru a food mill, it comes out as smooth as silk. I then process at 6 lbs pressure for 10 minutes.
admin says:
September 2, 2010 at 3:48 pm (UTC -6)
Thanks for the comment. I use a food mill too when I am doing a big batch. Sometimes I will make smaller batches just for a meal that I want to be more chunky, so I just peel them before cooking.
splenda recipes says:
September 29, 2010 at 6:57 am (UTC -6)
What an enjoyable post! My Dad owned an apple orchard. Red Astrachan is the apple I learned to make apple pies with as a young girl. I’ve never seen nor heard of this variety for many years. So glad it’s still around. And wish I could take a bite!
Andy says:
November 5, 2010 at 3:00 pm (UTC -6)
I am interested in finding Yellow Transparent apples by the bushel when in season.
My mother used to make the best applesauce from these apples, but we cannot find them anymore.
Can anyone please help?
I am in NJ so eastern PA, NY state, or NJ would be great but I’d be willing to have them shipped if necessary.
Thanks in advance.
admin says:
November 6, 2010 at 7:26 pm (UTC -6)
I personally do not know of anywhere to get them in your area. They aren’t the kind of apple you find at the grocery stores. It’s one you have to get from your local farmer.
Robert L Rauck says:
February 4, 2011 at 7:16 pm (UTC -6)
I grew up on a farm in Indiana in the 1950′s and we had a Yellow Transparent apple tree. I remember the tart taste and the juiciness. I loved eating them raw, tart taste and all. The juice ran down to my elbow. They were fantastic. I cannot seem to find them anymore. Most people favor sweet apples but I loved the tart ones. Jonathan was another favorite.
Kristie says:
January 7, 2012 at 6:51 pm (UTC -6)
My parents are fortunate enough to have a Transparent apple tree on the property adjacent to theirs. There are a couple of older folks who used to live in the neighborhood who now come out in the early fall to harvest some of the best sauce and pie apples on the planet! I am going to suggest to my spouse that we plant a couple on our property when we retire from the navy in three years.
Eat Like No One Else − What Apples to Use for Applesauce? says:
September 28, 2010 at 6:15 pm (UTC -6)
[...] Apples only Transparent apples were one of the first apples I bought during the season (in early August). They are very tart, so I [...]
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October 18, 2010 at 6:29 pm (UTC -6)
[...] Ginger Gold Paula Red Transparent Red Astrachan Grimes Golden Pippin Spartan Golden [...]
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August 4, 2011 at 4:11 am (UTC -6)
[...] as a sapling around 1968, and that bore buckets of cherries for many years. Also a couple of Transparent apple trees, which reliably bore firm sweet/sour apples that were pale green when ripe. (Nobody here in New [...]
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November 3, 2011 at 1:53 pm (UTC -6)
[...] 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 [...]