Apple Varieties for Every Taste

Apple Varieties for Every Taste

Apple varieties: The old saw about an apple a day notwithstanding, an apple only gives you about 10 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin C and a little bit of calcium. But unpeeled apples are high in fiber, low in calories, and delicious – a healthy dessert choice. Grocery stores used to stock just a few apple varieties, but in recent years, tasty hybrids and imports have invaded the apple aisle. The International Apple Institute offers these suggestions:

Variety; appearance; taste; Best uses; Availibilty

Akane – Bright red; Crispy, juicy, sweet-tart;all-purpose; late August-September, primarily on Northwest.

Cortland – red with green highlights; tart, tender; snack, salad, baking; fall to spring; East to Midwest.

Crispin/Mutsu – yellow-green; sweet,crisp; all purpose; year-round, primarily in the East.

Criterion – yellow; sweet, mild; snack, salad; October – December, nationwide.

Elstar – bright red, orange, and yellow; sweet-tart; snack, salad, baking; October – December, nationwide.

Empire – dark red with red blush; crispy juicy, mildly tart; snack, salad; fall to spring, East to Midwest.

Gala – orange-yellow; sweet; snacks, salads; mid-August – December, nationwide.

Gingergold – yellow, smooth finishl sweet, crisp; all-purpose; late July to early September, in Virginia.

Gravenstein – red-striped; moderately tart; snacks, salad, baking; late summer, early fall, West Coast.

Idared – red; mildly tart, firm, juicy; salads, baking, cooking; September to early spring, mainly East to Midwest.

A squirrel eating an apple. Photo: Megan Jorgensen

Jerseymac – bright red; juicy, medium-firm; all-purpose;; late summer to early September nationwide.

Jonagold – bright red over gold; sweet, tangy, juicy; snacks, salads; end September – October, nationwide.

Jonamac – deep red; tart; snacks, cooking; September primarily Northeast.

Jonaathan – light red with yellow or purple highlights; rich, tartish; all-purpose; fall to spring, Midwest.

Lodi (old-time apple) – yellowish-green; tary; all-purpose; July to early August, nationawide.

Macoun – red-green; crisp, semisweet; snacks, salads, applesauce; September-November, nationwide.

Newtown Pippin – green; mildly tart; snacks, salads, cooking; September – February, mainly West Coast.

Paulared – mostly red with green highlights; mildly tart, firm; snacks, salads, cooking; early fall, East.

Quinte – red; medium tart to sweet; snacks, salads; late summer to early September nationwide.

Rome beauty – red with smatter of green; tartish to sweet; cooking; October – July nationwide.

Spartan – like Mcintosh; crispy, tartish, aromatic; best for snacks and salads; fall to winter, Northeast.

Stayman – purplish-red; rich, mildly tart; snacks, salads, cooking; fall to spring; Midwest and Southeast.

Twenty-ounce – large, greenish yellow; slightly tart, crisp; cooking, baking; fall, Western New York.

Tydeman Early – bright scarlet, fairly large; firm, mildly tart; dessert; summer, nationwide.

Wealthy – bright red; slightly tart; cooking, barking; mid-September – November, primarily in Northeast and Michigan.

Old Standards

Golden delicious – yellow; tangy, sweet, juicy; all-purpose; year-round nationwide.

Granny Smith – green; tart; all purpose, year-round nationwide.

Mcintosh – red and green; tart, tender, juicy; snacks, salads; September through spring, Eat to Midwest.

Red delicious – striped to solid red; rich, sweet, mellow; snacks, salads; late summer to early September.