Which is the apple of your eye?

With more than 7,500 apple varieties grown in the United States, knowing a few basics of what to look for will help you pick the perfect match or create a blend of a few for the perfect flavor.

There is no need to be bored eating an apple a day to keep the doctor away! With a variety of varieties, there’s a perfect fit for however you enjoy and prepare your apples.
Canning and baking can be daunting if a recipe gives you a vague “two cups of diced apple” as an ingredient as texture, tartness and sweetness can vary greatly.
With more than 7,500 apple varieties grown in the United States, knowing a few basics of what to look for will help you pick the perfect match or create a blend of a few for the perfect flavor.
According to the U.S. Apple Association, Red Delicious apples are the most popular apple produced and eaten. While they are indeed delicious to crunch on whole or freshly sliced, they and their cohorts Golden Delicious are not ideal candidates for other apple projects. Their mealier texture does not lend well to holding shape and they tend to also lose flavor when heated as well.
Coming in as the third-most popular, the lovely green Granny Smith is a very versatile option. They are great for snacking, and offer a crisp and tart taste.
Their firm skin also adds to their longevity and makes them a top pick for baking and preserving. The tartness is an excellent compliment to the sweetness of caramel and chocolate for dunking as caramel apples or creating apple nachos!
Galas, Fujis, Pink Lady, and the red-orange Brayburn are also firm do-all options but are more on the sweet than tart side. These are also among the best varieties for dehydrating as slices.
Topping off a salad or adding some apples and dips to a charcuterie board? Some apples such as Pink Lady brown slower than others, making them good bets.
To stretch the life of your variety, soaking apple slices for 5 minutes does wonders. Depending who you ask, they may suggest vinegar or lemon juice or water with a sprinkle of baking soda or even plain water to slow the browning process.
Looking to make some batches of applesauce? Varieties that are sweet and juicy, rather than tart work best. With minimal ingredients, applesauce relies heavily on the apple flavor to be the star of the show and doesn’t require added sugar if the apples add sweetness already.
You could also take a hint from commercial producers, who often use a blend of Golden Delicious, Rome, Red Delicious and York. Popular brand Mott’s on the other hand, exclusively uses Honeycrisp apples.
Apple Butter often uses a variety as well, Rome and McIntosh being among the most popular.
For canning slices or stewed apples, go for tart and firm varieties so the apples do not turn mushy.
Canning slices are great for baking into apple muffins, pies and crisps and as well as for topping off oatmeal, waffles and other dishes.
Pick a variety where your preferred sweetness and tartness will show through in the months ahead!
Is canning a bit intimidating to you? Another option is flash freezing apple slices. Peel and slice into usable sized chunks.
Ideally, this short cut will have your fruit ready to serve, so cut bigger slices for pies or smaller cubes if you are using it more as a topping or to be baked into recipes such as muffins or crumbles. Properly frozen apples will last up to a year, though you’ll probably find that your family eats them more quickly!
If you know you’ll be using your apples in holiday pies and the like, portion plenty into your preferred pie plate and then mix in your other ingredients such as flour and cinnamon and freeze into an airtight bag.
If you are really ambitious in your holiday preparation or are gifting a pie, make your entire pie ahead of time. Wrap it tightly in tin foil until ready to bake, and then unwrap and bake from frozen.
Looking to store up whole apples to last you a while? Avoid stocking up on apples with a soft skin as they can bruise and then rot quicker. In past times, a root cellar was the spot to store apples, but if your home doesn’t have one, a chillier space like a garage works well.
If you have space in a fridge, that is your best bet!
Weed out any that are bruised as it will lead to rot of not only that apple, but the ones around it. Space them out if possible so they are not touching.
For enjoying apples right away, follow along with their growing season. While some varieties like Gala ripen in late August, others like Fuji, won’t ripen until late October.
You’ll also notice that some apples are significantly more expensive than others for a variety of reasons.
Honeycrisp are notoriously expensive as they are a finicky variety to grow but a popular variety to buy. Gala on the other hand, are easier to produce and usually among the cheapest to buy.
Of course, the best apples are going to be the fresh ones!
Head over to Redemption Farms of Denton for you-pick and pre-picked apples, or Blades Orchard in Federalsburg for pre-picked.
If you have time to make a day of it, head to Fifer’s Orchard for both picking and other family activities. To keep up with which varieties are ready or what hours are, give the farms a follow on social media.
However you enjoy your apples, be sure to savor the season and preserve some for later! be coming around to like them.