A-Z ON APPLES

The Acey Mac apple is crisp, juicy and sweet. It’s an excellent snacking apple. Similar to – and just slightly firmer and generally larger – than its cousin the McIntosh.

PROFILE:

Sweet, Tart, Juicy

BEST USES:

Excellent for fresh eating
Good for sauces

SPECIAL HINT:

Tender flesh cooks quickly, so add a thickener if making a pie.

AVAILABILITY:

September

An old-fashioned sweet apple with a smooth, crisp texture and a real depth of flavor. Perfect for snacks and salads.

PROFILE:

Sweet and tangy flavor
Aromatic and juicy
Super crisp texture with yellow flesh

BEST USES:

Excellent for snacking and cooking
Good for sauces and salads

SPECIAL HINT:

This ultra-crisp apple will appeal to teens, a great way to encourage healthy snacking.

AVAILABILITY:

October

A bright, red-striped apple with a creamy orange color; firm and crisp. It has a thin skin with a sweet/tart flavor, and makes a great fresh eating apple. You may even notice a hint of pear.

PROFILE:

Tart, sweet flavor
Crispy

BEST USES:

Fresh eating
Excellent for salads, pies, sauces and baking

AVAILABILITY:

Late October

Bite into a Crispin for a great crunch and mouthful of sweet juice. The original name for this exceptional apple was Mutsu, reflecting its Japanese heritage. It was renamed Crispin in the late ‘60s and has been gaining fans ever since.

PROFILE:

Sweet, yet very refreshing
Very juicy
Extra crisp

BEST USES:

Excellent for eating, sauces, baking and freezing
Good for salads and pies

SPECIAL HINT:

Try Crispins for roasting whole apples or thick slices. They’re a wonderful accompaniment for your favorite roast.

AVAILABILITY:

September & October

With the popular Red Delicious and McIntosh for parents, Empire was destined to be a hit when it was developed at Cornell University in the ‘40s. It’s a sweet-tart combination that’s very versatile.

PROFILE:

Wonderful blend of sweet and tart
Juicy
Very crisp, creamy white flesh

BEST USES:

Excellent for eating and salads
Good for sauces, baking, pies and freezing

SPECIAL HINT:

Small Empires are great for school lunches. Kids enjoy the sweet-tart taste and super crunchy texture.

AVAILABILITY:

Late September

A spritely apple with a slightly spicy flavor. It’s a cross between a Red Spy and Empire apple, and was created at Cornell University.

PROFILE:

Crisp, with a spicy flavor

BEST USES:

Excellent for pies and sauces
Good for fresh eating

SPECIAL HINT:

Combine Fortune apples with a sweet apple, such as Golden Delicious, for tasty and well-balanced applesauce.

AVAILABILITY:

Late October

A great choice for snacking, Gala is a variety developed in New Zealand. It’s got the mild flavor that “picky eaters” prefer, plus a striking bright yellow-red color that also makes it visually appealing.

PROFILE:

Mild sweet flavor
Juicy
Crisp, creamy yellow flesh

BEST USES:

Excellent for eating and salads

SPECIAL HINT:

Galas’ size, mellow flavor and thin skin make them a perfect choice for lunches and snacks for kids.

AVAILABILITY:

September

If you really want a fresh-picked apple in late summer, the early ripening Ginger Gold will satisfy your desire for a great snacking apple. Check them out early in the harvest season when this special new variety is readily available!

PROFILE:

Sweet with mildly tart overtones
Fine textured, crisp cream-colored flesh

BEST USES:

Excellent for eating and salads

SPECIAL HINT:

Ginger Gold is very slow to turn brown, so it’s an excellent choice for any fresh-cut apple use.

AVAILABILITY:

August through November

Ever hear that Golden Delicious is the yellow cousin of the popular Red Delicious apple? Actually, they are related in name only, but this honey sweet apple is a special treat all on its own.

PROFILE:

Mild, sweet flavor
Juicy
Crisp, light yellow flesh

BEST USES:

Excellent for eating, salads, and sauces
Good for pies, baking, and freezing

SPECIAL HINT:

You can put less sugar in pies and sauces made from Golden Delicious apples, because of the natural sweetness these apples provide.

AVAILABILITY:

September

If you love the old-fashioned goodness of baked apples, Idareds are excellent, as they hold their shape perfectly and look beautiful on the table. Developed in Idaho, it’s a cross between two old-time New York apples, Jonathan and Wagener, that were first grown in Penn Yan in 1791.

PROFILE:

Sweetly tart
Juicy
Firm, pale, yellow-green flesh, sometimes tinted rosy pink

BEST USES:

Excellent for sauces, cooking, baking and pies
Good for eating, salads and freezing

SPECIAL HINT:

Idareds make a beautifully colored applesauce. Cook the apples with the skins on and strain the sauce to get the best pink color.

AVAILABILITY:

October

The Jersey Mac apple is crisp, juicy and sweet/tart. It is good for fresh eating, pies and applesauce.

PROFILE:

Sweet
Tart
Juicy

BEST USES:

Good for fresh eating
Good for pies and applesauce

SPECIAL HINT:

Tender flesh cooks quickly, so add a thickener if making a pie.

AVAILABILITY:

August

Jonagold is another success story from the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva. It’s a cross between mellow Golden Delicious and tart Jonathan apples, and creates a great aroma when baked in apple pies.

PROFILE:

Honey sweet, with a hint of tartness
Juicy
Crisp, creamy yellow flesh

BEST USES:

Excellent for eating, salads, sauces, and baking
Good for pies and freezing

SPECIAL HINT:

Jonagolds also make great fried apples. Simply sauté in a little butter and add a touch of cinnamon. No sugar needed.

AVAILABILITY:

October

Looking for a perfect, no-fat dessert that will satisfy your sweet tooth? Macoun is the answer, but make sure you get yours at the right time, as these special apples are only available in the fall. Macoun was developed at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva in 1932, and is named for a famous Canadian fruit breeder.

PROFILE:

Extra-sweet and aromatic
Very juicy
Tender, snow-white flesh

BEST USES:

Excellent for eating
Good for sauces and salads

SPECIAL HINT:

Try serving Macoun slices with cheese for a sophisticated dessert in the autumn.

AVAILABILITY:

October

Nothing evokes fall better than the aromatic fragrance of McIntosh apples. This variety has been enjoyed since 1811 when John McIntosh discovered the first seedling. McIntosh apples grow particularly well in New York’s cool climate.

PROFILE:

Sweet, with a tart tang
Very juicy
Tender, white flesh

BEST USES:

Excellent for eating and sauces
Good for salads and pies

SPECIAL HINT:

McIntosh’s tender flesh cooks down quickly. Add a thickener if making a pie.

AVAILABILITY:

September

If you like tart apples, take a healthy bite of a Paula Red. It’s one of our earliest varieties to be harvested, and the first taste of fall for many apple lovers. Pick or shop early, because Paula Reds are only available from late August into October.

PROFILE:

Tart
Juicy
Crisp white flesh

BEST USES:

Excellent for eating
Good for applesauce

SPECIAL HINT:

Paula Red applesauce needs little or no sugar.

AVAILABILITY:

October

Great-looking fried apple slices, sitting next to a pork chop, are probably Romes. These superb apples retain their shape and tart flavor beautifully when cooked. This old-time variety originated in Ohio in 1816 but is widely grown in New York State.

PROFILE:

Mildly tart
Firm, greenish white flesh

BEST USES:

Excellent for sauces, baking and pies
Good for salads and freezing

SPECIAL HINT:

Combine Romes with a sweet apple, such as Golden Delicious, for a nicely tart’n’ tasty blended applesauce.

AVAILABILITY:

September & Late October

An early season apple that’s juicy, with a light and crisp texture. Developed at the University of Minnesota, Zestar! trees are especially hardy and handle cold weather beautifully. Like the name says, there’s zesty flavor and crunch when you bite into one.

PROFILE:

Crisp and juicy
Sprightly, sweet/tart taste with a hint of brown sugar

BEST USES:

Excellent for eating

SPECIAL HINT:

Zestar! apples maintain their great taste and crunch for two months in refrigeration, so you can keep that zesty crunch after hours in a lunchbox, days in a fruit bowl, or even weeks in the refrigerator.

AVAILABILITY:

Late August through October