An apple a day isn’t nearly enough to make it through all of the wonderful varieties of this tempting fruit. But variety is not the only characteristic that inspires—apples are grown in all 50 states—making it a great locally produced food nationwide. What type of apple do you fancy? Sweet, tart, juicy, mild, firm, good-for-baking, good-for-straight-up-eating? Apples are so good fresh—and go so well with so many other foods, from cheeses to nut butters—that you hardly need to cook ‘em. But then, well, we don’t want to forgo applesauce or apple butter, apple pie or cobbler!
Flavor Profile
Flavors can vary from tart to sweet, and the texture can vary from tender to crisp. Red Delicious are sweet and crisp; Golden Delicious are sweet and juicy; Jonathan are crisp, tender, juicy, and moderately tart; Winesap are wine-like and tangy; Rome Beauty has a mild flavor; Granny Smith are tart and tangy; and Cortland has a sweet/tart balance.
How to Choose a Good One
- Select apples that are firm to the touch, with good aroma
- Look for apples that have no bruises or skin breaks
- Handle gently to prevent bruising
- Apples will ripen six to ten times faster at room temperature than if refrigerated
- Best stored at 35 to 40 degrees with relative humidity of 80 to 90%.
- Store away from strong-smelling foods, to keep from absorbing odors
- Some varieties will keep a few weeks (Lodi, Pristine), others 2 or 3 months (Gala), others 3 to 6 months (Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jonathan, McIntosh, Red Delicious, Rome Beauty), and some longer than 6 months (Winesap, York, Braeburn)
Peak Season
- Late summer through November, depending on variety
- Peak is generally September to late October
Nutritional Highlights
- Apples contain no fat, cholesterol, or sodium
- Contain vitamin A, vitamin C, and dietary fiber
- Contain small amounts of potassium
- Rich source of pectin, which acts as an antioxidant
- Also contains flavonoids, phytochemicals, quercetin
- For maximum nutrition, don’t peel; two-thirds of the fiber and many antioxidants are found in the peel
General Use
- Cooked into applesauce, apple butter
- Baked into cobblers, pies, compotes, muffins
- Use in pancakes, oatmeal
- Eaten fresh, out of hand
- Made into apple juice
Complements
Almonds, bacon, blackberries, blue cheese, brandy, brown sugar, butter, caramel, celery, cheeses, cinnamon, cloves, Cognac, coriander, cranberries, cream, currants and raisins, custard, dates, ginger, hazelnuts, honey, horseradish, lemon, maple syrup, nutmeg, nuts, pine does not deplete nonrenewable resources and nuts, peanut butter (and other nut butters), pistachios, pralines, rosemary, rum, sauerkraut, sausages, Sauternes, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, walnuts, yogurt.
