Apples season is beginning to roll at my local farmer's market. More and more varieties are beginning to show up. One such variety that I have had before but have neglected to review for this blog until now is the Jersey Mac apple. This is an early seaon apple ripening in the start of August. Now as you might guess this apple is related to the popular McIntosh apple. It's actual an early season McIntosh type of apple. It looks very much like a McIntosh and has similar eating qualities. It's a good choice for those are have been eagerly awaiting McIntosh season to get their fix. The downside of this apple is that is not a good keeper. Enjoy them fast or the only thing you will want to use them for is sauce, which they do make a nice applesauce!
The Jersey part of that name comes from the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. They released this apple in the early 1970s.
My Experience with this Apple (Rating Scale 1-10)
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Aspect, Score
Crispiness, 6
Tartness, 7
Apple Flavor, 6
Sweetness, 4
Juiciness, 7
Where I Got Them, Wolfe Orchards (Ann Arbor Farmer's Market)
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Overall Feeling: All you McIntosh lovers, this is the apple to get as you wait for your favorite apple to ripen. It is strikely similar to the McIntosh. You can use it for whatever you like to use Macs for. Like I said above you need to enjoy them fast. They softend up and become mealy even quicker than the McIntosh. But even if they do, you can always make applesauce, which they apples do well with.
Some Orchards That Grow this Apple
Homestead Orchards (Woodstock, IL)
George W. Saulpaugh & Son Inc. (Germantown, NY)
Here are some apple related kitchen tools I recommend:
Amco Dial-A-Slice Adjustable Apple Corer and Slicer
: Allows you to slice apples into either 8 or 16 pieces
Zyliss Soft Skin Peeler
: The best peeler I have ever owned. Does a great job peeling an apple.
Mirro Foley 2-Quart Stainless Steel Food Mill
: A great tool for making your own applesauce. You can make the sauce without having to do any peeling.
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