Apples

I heard a sound as of scraping tripe, / And putting apples wondrous ripe, / Into a cider- press’s gripe.

– Robert Browning

We had applesauce with cinnamon whipped cream for dessert tonight, and so since it is prime apple season,  I thought I would try and find all about apples…

Well, they say an apple a day keeps the doctor away.  It seems like may be true in some sense.   I’ve read some articles that say they may prevent against Alzheimer’s disease, reduce breast cancer risk, and lower cholesterol.  Apples don’t have as much vitamin C as other fruits, but they are very high in other antioxidants.

It turns out that there are literally thousands of different varieties.  ( Way too many for me to list here tonight. )  I will list some of the varieties that I’m familiar with or have seen in the grocery stores.

Gala

Gala apples ripen early in the season (maybe mid August or early September depending on where you live).  They were developed in New Zealand, and are good all round apples.  You can just eat them straight, or you can use them in salads, pies, or applesauce.

MacIntosh

Around here, this is probably the most common apple.  They are ripe early to mid season (September), and are good to eat plain, or in applesauce.  They tend to get too mushy for good apple pie.

Empire

Empire apples are very similar to MacIntosh.  They have a long shelf life, but like most things, they are best eaten fresh.

Red Delicious

Again, these are ripe early to mid season.  They can be good to eat but get too mushy when cooked.  I’ve never really liked Red Delicious apples because the bruise easily and don’t keep very well.

Granny Smith

Granny Smith apples are ripe mid to late season (mid to late October).  They are very crisp.  Unlike most apples, Granny Smith apples are bright green in colour and never turn red when ripe.   They are sour (tart) apples.  I think they are particularly good in salads.  By the way, apparently there really was a Granny Smith.

Pink Lady

These are a late season (October) variety.  They are very sweet and crisp.  They are good for eating plain, but also make good pies and applesauce.  They are also very good in salads.