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    Home Β» Fruit Reviews Β» Apples Β» What are Lady Alice Apples?

    What are Lady Alice Apples?

    Published: Mar 8, 2010 Β· Modified: Mar 31, 2021 by Eric Samuelson

    A flavorful, rich apple that is firm enough to eat through the cold winter months. Read about what I think is the best apple to eat in the winter time.

    A display of Lady Alice apples at the store with the words "Lady Alice the Best apple to eat in the winter"

    Even thought fall has long come to an end, new apple varieties are still showing up in the stores.

    Why is that?

    Apples are held in cold storage after the harvest for a period of time.

    Sometimes that is done because the apple actually improves in flavor in storage. Other times, it's about marketing, and scheduling the perfect time to realize an apple.

    Lady Alice apples might actually fall into both categories. I can tell you for sure that when it comes to eating apples in the winter, Lady Alice reigns supreme.

    Jump to:
    • ? Origin
    • ? Taste
    • ❄️ Season
    • ? Where to Buy
    • ? Compared to Pink Lady
    • βœ‹ Uses
    • ? Join Our Apple Club
    • ? Other Apples

    ? Origin

    The Lady Alice has an interesting story behind it.

    It was discovered by Don Emmons in his farm outside of Gleed, Washington. In the year 1979, he was cultivating his orchard, when a disc from this plow hit at the bottom of a red (un)delicious tree.

    The tree send out another branch which did not look like the rest of the tree. The fruit it would go on to produce was also very different than a red delicious - that's a good thing!

    This new variety was thus created by a happy accident. The actual parents of this apple are a mystery. Upon looking at the apple it has some yellow patches that look like a Golden Delicious, maybe they are involved.

    Bagged Lady Alice apples at Trader Joe's
    You can find Lady Alice apples in the late fall and winter at Trader Joe's.

    ? Taste

    Here is what you really want to know, what does a Lady Alice taste like?

    Lady Alice is a sweet apple, yet coyingly tart, kind of in the Honeycrisp range. The taste is rich, with fruity notes and hints of vanilla.

    Lady Alice reminds me of some of my favorite hard to find heirloom varieties, yet it isn't one itself. It's an old school flavor you don't find in modern apples.

    It doesn't have the same crunch aspect as a Honeycrisp in it's prime, but it's still a very crisp, solid apple, that doesn't go mealy for months.

    Lady Alice is one of my favorite out of hand eating experiences.

    ❄️ Season

    With years of experience now of eating Lady Alice apples during the winter months, I can in all confidence say that they are the best apple to eat in the winter.

    No apple has the flavor and crunch at the grocery store during that time of year than Lady Alice. By then, Honeycrisp apples have gone downhill and are no longer worth buying.

    Lady Alice apples are harvested in the fall, and then released to stores later.

    Typically I find Lady Alice apples beginning to show up in January. However in 2018, I found them at stores much earlier in November.

    The latest I have seen Lady Alice is in April or I think even early May. Once summer hits, they are no where to be found.

    Boxes of Lady Alice apples on display at a Costco store.

    ? Where to Buy

    Here is a list of stores that I have known for sure have carried Lady Alice apples. Check with each store for availability.

    • Kroger
    • Meijer
    • Whole Foods Market
    • Schnuck’s
    • Sam's Club
    • Costco
    • Trader Joe's
    A bin of Pink lady apples with a sign on the front that says "Pink Lady - Golden Delicious X Lady Williams. Developed by John Cripps in Western Australia. Hard, Crisp, Juicy, Tangy.
    Another "lady apple" that is really popular in the stores.

    ? Compared to Pink Lady

    We have had people asking if Lady Alice and Pink Lady are the same apple. They are indeed very different varieties. Both are crisp, but Pink Lady has more tartness to it.

    The color isn't the same as Lady Alice doesn't have any shades of pink. It's more red, yellow, and orange in color.

    βœ‹ Uses

    I mostly eat these apples out of hand but they would be good in a salad as well. They are firm without being overly crunchy.

    Everyone want to know if an apple is good for baking or not. To be honest, I have never tried. I would eat all of them while preparing them for a recipe!

    Lady Alice will hold up when you bake them. They do have some tartness to them, but I still prefer to use a more tart apple when baking anything with apples.

    ? Join Our Apple Club

    ? Other Apples

    What other apples do I think are good to eat in the winter?

    • Wild Twist
    • Sugar Bee
    • Kanzi
    • Evercrisp
    • Cosmic Crisp
    • Envy
    • Kiku

    Have you tried this apple? What did you think? Leave a comment below telling us. Be a helper and share where you found it. You may make someone's day with your insider info on where to get them! If you are a true apple lover, you'll want to check out all of our apple reviews.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kim

      April 24, 2011 at 4:44 pm

      You might also want to mention that this variety doesn't turn brown very quickly. I've sliced them up in the morning, sent them to school in my daughter's lunch, and what she doesn't eat comes home looking almost like it did when I first cut it.

    2. admin

      April 24, 2011 at 5:37 pm

      Thanks for pointing that out!

    3. eris

      June 08, 2011 at 10:39 pm

      The origin story is pretty interesting. It appears that Lady Alice is the fruit of some unknown rootstock Emmons used for Red Delicious in his orchard. Neat!

    4. chris

      February 20, 2012 at 6:24 am

      i just picked some at at the local grocers. Very very delicious. Definitely has the appeal of my favorite, the Honey Crisp. πŸ™‚

    5. Jim T

      February 27, 2012 at 12:27 pm

      Just finished eating a Lady Alice apple and it certainly was delicious. And I'd eat one any day over a Honey Crisp, which I consider to be an overrated apple. I really hope these apples become more available in the future. The Meijer store I shop at had them a couple of weeks ago, but have since sold out.

    6. Wanda Willis

      March 06, 2012 at 3:52 am

      I'd read about these apples a year ago and kept looking for them even asking friends to keep me posted when/if they found them. Yesterday I was at Kroger and saw a large display of them even a bin filled with them. I was excited but not having had them or hearing from friends as to their taste, etc. I only bought one.

      I'm on my way back to Kroger today to buy MORE!!!!!

      I did check out Rainier's fruit website for Lady Alice. http://www.rainierfruit.com/products/variety.html?varietyid=5

      They have a recipe for Lady Alice Apple Squash soup, which I do plan on making this week.

      I just watched a PBS DVD which tells the history and cultivation of apples, among other food plants. This might add a new view on the creation of this new apple variety. Nonetheless, it's a fascinating DVD.

      "A Plant's-Eye View of the world: The Botany of Desire" - Michael Pollan

    7. Charlotte

      March 06, 2012 at 8:09 am

      I heard that these apples were really good, so I purchased two of them last week at my local Schnuck's store. They were a bit more expensive then the McIntosh that I had been buying, so I just got the two so I could try them. I think these are the best apples I have had in a long time. They are crisp, sweet, with just a hint of tartness. I hope they will be available on a consistent basis.

    8. admin

      March 06, 2012 at 9:30 am

      I am glad you like the apple, hope that recipe works out for you. I will have to check out that DVD, sounds interesting.

    9. admin

      March 06, 2012 at 9:32 am

      Glad you found them. The apple is something you are not going to find year around, just mainly in the winter months, so enjoy them while you can.

    10. Ryann

      March 23, 2012 at 1:36 pm

      I felt they had a hint of starchiness to their taste, almost potato-like. I love honeycrisps but here in San Antonio they want a ridiculous price per pound. I only eat supercrisp apples, after letting these chill for several hours in the fridge they were perfect for me! Thank you for sharing πŸ™‚

    11. Paul

      April 01, 2012 at 1:11 pm

      Just had a few Lady Alice apples sold here in Jacksonville, FL and had to find out more about them. Great taste, almost pear-like in sweetness and flavor, yet also a bit of tartness. I am sure that apple lovers will love this variety.

    12. Dana

      May 02, 2012 at 11:02 am

      I'm NOT a friut eater.BUT bought a bag at Sams (in northwest Fl) for visiting granddaughters..I have now eaten 2BAGS myself!
      The BEST APPLE EVER!! Now, I have to wait 'til winter for MORE???
      I WILL WAIT!!!

    13. Amanda

      February 11, 2013 at 2:29 pm

      I am late to jump on the bandwagon, I just found (and heard) of these apples, my reason for buying them was because my favorite apple (Pink Lady's) were sold out at my local produce center.. So I thought I would try it. I love them, they are definitely in my top two, and I eat a lot of apples and many varieties :). I will point out though, that I do not care for Honey Crisp apples, mainly because they taste watery IMHO.. And thanks to the OP for the background, if I were to have known the story previously I may not have bought them, because the only apple I do not like (at all) are red delicious.

    14. Eric Samuelson

      February 12, 2013 at 8:32 am

      Better late than never. Welcome aboard. Glad you found that apple and decided to buy it.

    15. michelle

      March 21, 2013 at 9:24 am

      I live on long island, ny and i just found these apples at King Kullen, omg i love them i think they have bit of an anise under tone to them. i hope we get them every year.

    16. Frances McFeeters

      March 21, 2013 at 5:22 pm

      Where can I buy Lady Alice apples in the Fort Smith Arkansas area? Thank you, Frances

    17. Michael Schmidt

      April 16, 2013 at 9:15 pm

      Although Lady Alice is better than Golden Delicious, it is certainly reminiscent of Golden Delicious in both taste and texture. I'd be surprised if Golden Delicious was not a parent.

    18. Bonnie

      October 23, 2014 at 5:42 pm

      Hello ,
      when will Lady Alice apples be available in Michigan grocery stores?
      Thank you

    19. Eric Samuelson

      October 27, 2014 at 7:25 am

      They usually don't appear until the winter months, after the new year.

    20. Shannan

      April 13, 2015 at 11:30 am

      I just added them to my Bountiful Basket co-op load I'll pick up this weekend.... 27lb case of Organic Lady Alice apples for only $32!!! I'm excited to try them! I am on a juice only fast right now so I won't get the full impact, but I'm sure my kids will tell me how great they are.

    21. Stacey

      January 13, 2016 at 2:02 pm

      I love the Lady Alice Apples! In fact, they are the only apples I eat. I look forward to the Winter months only to buy them! I purchase them from Wegmans Food Markets!

    22. bea

      February 08, 2016 at 7:52 am

      This apple is fabulous!!! crisp and not too sweet - just as you said. Never mushy. I get mine at Harris Teeter in Chapel Hill... what a lucky find.

    23. Eric Samuelson

      February 08, 2016 at 12:22 pm

      Glad you have discovered it. Only apple I really eat this time of year.

    24. Louie

      March 26, 2016 at 3:56 pm

      This apple is great for baking. Just core out the center, and fill with raisins and pecans. Place in covered baking dish, and bake for 50 min to 1 hr at 375 degrees.
      No sugar, syrup or water required. Skin should start to split when done. Sweetest taste and breaks apart with a fork.

    25. Joyce

      April 03, 2016 at 5:56 am

      Found them at Sprouts in Yorba Linda, CAlif. Love them.
      Like others, only bought one as they are more expensive. Going back for more while they have them.

    26. Grace

      October 22, 2019 at 11:32 pm

      I just bumped into these Lady Apples at a Whole Foods in Monterey Bay, and boy, was I so delighted on my first bite!!! so juicy, an crispy sweet with a hint of tartness! soooo yummy! Now I have to keep an eye on them on my local Whole Foods here in North Dallas!

    27. Eric Samuelson

      October 23, 2019 at 4:51 pm

      Awesome. This is the first I have heard this year of people finding them.

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    Nice to Meet You,

    Hi! I'm Eric : Father of 4, living just south of Ann Arbor, MI. I'm a reformed picky eater finding a new way to not conform. Eating what's in season is my jam (I also make it!)

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