I grew up with a truly crisp, tart apple: the Pippin. LOVE them.
For some horrible reason, the modern (L.A., anyway) “tart” green apple is… snore… Granny Smith. Bleh. Just barely passable when desperate, I guess.
I managed to lay hands on some pippins about five years ago at the Hollywood Farmers market, the apple seller on the far southeast side. The same time I also got some at the Studio City market.
But I don’t own a car anymore, so popping down to the farmers markets is not easy or simple.
So, if you know these markets or other nearby markets, and you happen to see Pippins there or ANYWHERE else, PLEASE tell me where.
Also, if you know of any relatively near orchards that are likely to have Pippins for picking, would love to know and I can plan to go ahead of time.
The beauty of apples is that I can actually buy a bunch if I can get them and they will last for quite awhile, so I just need to know when and where to go to satisfy my craving…
( I don’t know the California season for pippins… I always thought it was right about now, but some produce guy told me spring?? - fill me in if you know for certain…)
Hey, I just had a thought… If any Dopers live where pippins are relatively cheap and plentiful, contact me and maybe we can work something out involving you buying up a boxful to ship to me!
I believe the issue may be that that pippins do not keep well and cannot readily be transported very far without spoilage. (And presumably they do not grow well in California’s climate.)
Also, if you are not very careful with them, they may awaken the Balrog.
Just posting to note the funny coincidence that you posted this Thread while the touring cast of the Broadway musical Pippin is playing in Los Angeles. (It closes today)
Weird and random? Or perhaps regular commuting past the Pantages Theater stirred your memory of the apples?
No, I go through this every fall. And I can’t see why pippins would be easily available everywhere in the 1960’s, 1970’s and into the 80’s but suddenly become too fragile or difficult to grow in the 90’s and beyond.
And really, they don’t keep well? They have to keep better than the squishier and much more common apples around these days. They are marvelously firm, much firmer than any common apples, doesn’t that help them keep?
Oak Glen. Head east on the 10 through Redlands. Take the Live Oak Canyon exit and turn left. Stay on that road through Yucaipa and up into Oak Glen. Have lunch at Law’s then hit any of a dozen farms for bagged apples. Riley’s is probably your best bet, but be aware they are closed on Sundays.
The guy who told you their season is spring doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I don’t know of any apple that ripens in the spring. Apple trees flower in the spring, and their fruit ripens in mid-summer to late fall, depending on the variety.
I assume you’re asking about Newtown Pippins. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I first saw these in a produce market several weeks ago. I think the same store still has them. The problem is that Newtown Pippins aren’t a popular variety. I think part of the problem is that they’re not pretty. I like them, but they’re hard to find (around here, at least).
The Newtown Pippin is an unusual variety. It’s very solid without being particularly crisp. It tends to be wider than it is tall. As it ripens it develops unusual flavor undertones that some people compare to pineapple. When underripe they can be a bit astringent (probably due to high tannin levels for an eating apple).
There are other apples called “pippins.” Cox’s Orange Pippin is popular in the U.K. but rare in California. There’s another apple that’s being sold as a pippin around here that doesn’t have much flavor - they just call it a “pippin” (i.e. they don’t specify a type of pippin).
I’ve lived in So Cal my whole life, and pippins are my favorite as well. They are definitely seasonal here, but they should be showing up in stores within a week or so. You should be able to find them at any of the high-end markets (Whole Foods, Gelsons) but they will also be in the large chains as well.