What to Look For
- Select firm apples that have smooth skin, and are free from brown spots, bruises, blemishes, worm holes, or wrinkles.
- Red apples should be vibrantly red. Other types should have a bright yellow-green undertone. If their colour is too green, it indicates under-ripeness, while an overly yellow colour suggests that the apple may be too soft and mealy-textured.
- If you apply gentle pressure to an apple, your fingers should not leave a dent.
- Apples are harvested between August and November in North America. Early varieties are generally more delicate, while later varieties are more hardy. These later crops are held in commercial storage throughout the winter months, but can start to taste stale and mealy as spring approaches.
What are you using your apples for?
- Applesauce: Soft-fleshed apples that collapse and mash easily. (i.e., Cortland, McIntosh, Jonthan, Winesap)
- Pies and Cobblers: Flavourful and firm apples that will not collapse while cooking. (i.e., Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Rome, Northern Spy, Newtown Pippin)
- Salads and Sandwiches: Crunchy, firm apples. (i.e., Northern Spy, Winesap, Granny Smith)
- Savoury Recipes: Apples with a strong acidity will taste great roasted alongside rich meat, like duck and pork. (i.e., Jonathan, Macoun, Granny Smith, Braeburn)
- Snacking: Crisp apples with whatever tart/sweet balance appeals to you. (i.e., Empire, Fuji, Red Delicious)
What's Out There
- Dessert Apples: These sweet, aromatic apples are great for eating raw. Some are also well suited to cooking. Types include Red Delicious, Gala, Braeburn, Cox's Orange Pippin, Spartan, Sunrise.
- Cooking Apples: These varieties are more tart. Although they are particularly well suited to cooking, many can also be enjoyed raw. Types include Bramley, Granny Smith, Peasgood Nonesuch, Jonathan, McIntosh, and crabapples.
- Cider Apples: These intensely flavoured apples are not often found in stores. They are cultivated to supply apple cider producers. Types include Golden Russet, Kingston Black, and Dymock Red.
Our Tests
While in the Okanagan, we toured a local orchard and teamed up with the staff to taste test four different apple varieties. Our recipes called for Golden Delicious apples, but the book also advised that we should improvise according to our preferences and what was available.
We tested Ambrosia, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and Fuji apples. Two of our testers preferred the tart and juicy Granny Smith, but three chose the crisp and sweet Fuji. In the spirit of improvisation, we chose to use Fuji apples in our recipe.
Buying It
- Granny Smith, Fuji, and Golden Delicious apples are available in supermarkets for all or most of the year.
- Ambrosia apples are available in some produce markets and supermarkets in the fall, winter, and early spring.
After You Buy
- At home, apples kept in the coldest part of your refrigerator (ideally, below 5°C) will keep for about 2 weeks, though very hardy apples like Granny Smiths and Fujis may keep for considerably longer.
- Store in plastic bags with small holes to maintain moisture levels and prevent withering.
- If you're slicing apples to serve fresh, you can stop them from browning by squeezing citrus juice over them, or tossing them in apple juice fortified with vitamin C (all of these juices contain ascorbic acid, which will prevent browning).
When we visited British Columbia's Okanagan Valley for a recent episode, it seemed fitting that our dessert recipe called for poached apples. The Okanagan is famous for its orchards of apples and other delicious fruits! Apples are obviously a great dessert ingredient and the perfect snack food, but you can also include them in savoury recipes. Try diced apple in a salad with nuts and cheese or make a spicy apple chutney to serve with pork or chicken.