Apples are a sweet introduction to fall

The news cycle these days can be nearly be measured in nanoseconds, with one crazy headline appearing after another. While nothing seems settled in the world, it can be reassuring to see the change in the seasons which serves as a reminder that this, too, shall pass. In much of the Northern Hemisphere, fall is in the air with crisp morning air and blazing color on the trees. Another sign of the season is that all types of apple varieties are appearing in farmers’ markets and supermarket produce sections. If you live anywhere near an apple growing area, you will be able to pick and choose depending on what you want to do with the apples. 

Every area where apples are grown boasts their own local varieties, and some are available more widely. Today I’m focusing on the types available in the US – people from other locales should chime in with the varieties available to them. This handy chart provides a breakdown of many popular varieties available in the US. I am fortunate to live near a major breeding program for apples led by the University of Minnesota, which means that local orchards often have the latest types before they show up elsewhere. One new variety is First Kiss (aka Rave when grown outside of Minnesota). This apple boasts the Honeycrisp as one of its parents, and it smashed the competition in a recent ranking.

Speaking of rankings, New England Today has a listing of the top five newest varieties available in that region (some are also be available in other areas). Cosmic Crisp is the big winner – and perhaps not surprisingly, Honeycrisp is also one of its parents. It seems that Honeycrisp gets around, as another new variety also hails from that parentage. The result of a cross between Honeycrisp and Braeburn, the Juici apple is more complex than its parents, with good storage characteristics to boot.

The problem with picking a peck of apples, no matter how delicious, is what to do with them when you get them home. Of course you know where I’m going with this – straight to the EYB Library. Also, be sure to check out the recently released Apple: Recipes from the Orchard by James Rich for ideas.