All About Apples: Taste Test Results from the 2009 Pumpkin & Apple Celebration

Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009

Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009

Orleans Reinette

History: French variety, reportedly dates back to at least the 1770s.
Characteristics: Crisp yellow flesh with a nutty flavor.
Uses: Seems to be mostly an eating apple.
Harvest: Best harvested in October.
Storage Qualities: Should keep three months, into January.

Shizuka

History: Developed in Japan by crossing the Golden Delicious and Indo varieties.
Characteristics: Large apple, primarily yellow with a red-orange blush.
Uses: Seems to be mostly an eating apple.
Harvest: One of the last apples to ripen in late October.
Storage Qualities: Reported to be a good keeper.

Ginger Gold

History: This newer variety was recently developed in 1982 and patented by Adams County Nursery in Virginia. Described as a summer apple that acts like a fall or winter apple.
Characteristics: Very yellow when ripe, shaped like a Golden Delicious, texture is crisp, firm, juicy and slightly course, with yellowish–white flesh.
Uses: Primarily for eating. Good in salads.
Harvest: Among the first apples to ripen, usually in early August.
Storage Qualities: Keeps fairly well two months in cold storage.

Baldwin

History: Often considered to be the first true commercial apple. It was the number one apple in the early twentieth century. Originated in Wilmington, Massachusetts.
Characteristics: Tough skin, yellow flesh is crisp, coarse, and juicy with a spicy character.
Uses: Recommended for cider and pies.
Harvest: Between late September and November.
Storage Qualities: Good keeper.

Elstar

History: Dutch variety developed in the 1950's by crossing Golden Delicious and Ingrid Marie. Very popular in Europe. Introduced to the USA in 1972. Does not fare well in warm climates.
Characteristics: Very flavorful, known for its tartness. Crisp, cream-colored flesh. Medium-sized fruit; yellow with mottled orange or orange-red striping.
Uses: Excellent for eating and quite good for baking.
Harvest: Longer season, from August into October.
Storage Qualities: Two to three months. Its tart flavor tends to moderate with storage.

Jonathon

History: Of the common commercial apples grown in North America this is one of the best. It used to be called New Spitzenberg, having developed from its famous parent, the Esopus Spitzenberg. The first written account is from 1826 in Albany, New York; developed in nearby Ulster County and named after Jonathon Hasbrouck who made it known to others. One of the top five or six apples in the USA and the top variety in apple-prevalent Michigan. Very popular in the Midwest. Several successful crosses (Jonagold, Jonamac, Idared) have developed from it.
Characteristics: Dark red or carmine in color, very striking. Thin but tough skin. Juicy and crisp. Small or medium in size.
Uses: One of the best all-purpose apples, especially for those who like a tart apple. Best for sauces and cider.
Harvest: Mid-September to mid-October.
Storage Qualities: Not its strength.

Maiden Blush

History: An older American variety developed in New Jersey as far back as 1817. Described as a prevalent variety in the Philadelphia market around that time.
Characteristics: Attractive apple, yellow with reddish cheeks or “blush.” White to pale yellow flesh, crisp and tender. Highly aromatic, even when uncut.
Uses: Very much a multi-purpose apple, good for eating, baking, and cider; slices stay “light and attractive” when dried.
Harvest: An earlier apple, mid-August to mid-September.
Storage Qualities: Fairly well.

Zabergau Reinette

History: From Wurttemberg, Germany, this variety dates back to 1885.
Characteristics: Large, golden brown or russet. (Its appearance has been described as a “moonscape”.) Crisp, white to yellow fine-grained flesh with a nutty flavor.
Uses: Considered primarily as a dessert apple.
Harvest: Can ripen in September, but not usually until October, sometimes even quite late in the month.
Storage Qualities: Keeps well; can last into March.