I am searching for the perfect apple. Everytime I go to the store, I seem to buy one of every kind of apple available. I just ate a Spartan, and didnt like it, too mushy inside. Thus far my favorites are Concord for baking and Braeburn for eating straight up. Any other favorites?
Need a little help? Here’s the quickest apple site I could find that had a bit of info on the types.
I generally don’t like red apples for this reason. I don’t like an apple that is mealy (some may call it mushy).
The best apples (IMO) are Granny Smiths. They are a large sweet-tart green apple, very crisp and firm. Mmmmm, especailly good with peanut-butter and honey.
Pink Lady, Golden Delicious and Granny Smiths are my three favourites.
I prefer Granny Smiths, myself. Mmmmm.
In my youth I used to enjoy Winesap apples off the tree in my backyard, but that was many years ago…
Macoun (also sometimes spelled MacGowan, Magoun, Macound, etc. This seems to be a point of confusion.) are the bomb, yo. They are a hybrid of macintosh and something else, a bit harder, tarter and larger than a standard mac. I’ve never seen them in a store – usually only at the farmer’s market.
Oh, and Northern Spy for baking.
For eating I like the Jonagold, which is a cross between the Jonathon and the Golden Delicious or the Gala, which was developed for Queen Elizabeth II’s 25 Jubilee.
For baking the queen of apples is the Granny Smith.
Keith
Everyone always praises the Granny Smith, but I’ve never thought they were that great. Maybe I haven’t had good GS apples. Any how, I’ve eaten the Gala Oldieman mentioned and they are some good apples.
It isn’t just the variety, it’s the area from whence you get your apples.
Me, I prefer the tart, snappy, crispy apples. So, being in Michigan is a good thing, and in the fall I dine on Cortlands and MacIntoshes. My dad’s girlfriend likes Northern Spy (she swears by them for baking).
Least favorite are the large red delicious that are all mealy inside. bleh.
My fave is something called a Mutsu, I’ve seen it called a Crispin too. Green, crisp and tart like a Granny Smith, but HUGE! By huge, I’m talking grapefruit sized, the biggest apples I’ve ever seen, though I have seen a McCoun or two about that big.
Also a farmer stand kinda deal, don’t see 'em much at the supermarket.
Dan
Keep in mind that at this time of year, most apples have been in cold storage for at least 3-4 months. Apples trees need an extended hard freeze period to produce (i.e. winter), so they generally only grow in areas that can provide this cold period.
Hence, most apples are harvested from September - late November.
Modern apple types/hybrids have been developed for not only resistance to disease and such, but also keeping quality. Sometimes flavor is the area that loses out.
On that bright and cheery note, I’d like to second Cheesesteak’s nomination of Mutsu as a great eating apple. They don’t keep well, so you’ll have to buy them at farmers’ markets and such. Or maybe its that they are too expensive or too disease susceptible to be grown in large commercial orchards. I don’t know.
The things that are called “Red Delicious” are an abomination. Mealy, juiceless, not taste whatsoever. Ick.
Pink Lady! Best apple ever. It’s crisp, sweet, juicy. Very nice “perfumey” flavor!
The only problem is that they don’t keep long and they’re only available in late fall-early winter (despite what the link says)
Utterly wonderful!
Fenris
I used to swear by the Macoun myself, but in the past few fall seasons I’ve been wooed over to the Stayman Winesap.
Both are good, stout, New England-y apples with dusty red skins and tart white interiors. The Macoun tends to be a little sweeter than the SW, though.
I’ll second the Gala nomination.
From the grocery store I buy Macouns or Fujis for eating fresh.
In season, though… well, this area is apple country, so I usually go to Golden Harvest orchard in Valatie and buy their homegrown Macintoshes.
racinchikki tastes like apple today…
I like Granny Smith Apples with Almond butter! Yum! So I usually buy those and Gala Apples.
It’s not really an apple but a mountain apple. What you do is go to Hawaii, this may be expensive for those not already there. Drive out to Kulio’o hike to the back of the valleywhere the waterfall is and just start plucking them off the tree, oh my god so sweet, so juicy and so free
I love the taste of, Jonathans (found in the midwest) or Empire (from New York, obviously). The juicier they are, the mushier they tend to be, which is fine with me. If you’re looking for good taste and crispness, the Jonagold rules–and it’s widely distributed. Galas are nice too, but I often find them too sweet, not tart enough.