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by Karen McCarthy
One of my fondest childhood memories is of picking apples with
my family every fall. The sight of trees laden with gorgeous,
red fruit filled me with indescribable joy. It seems that no apple
ever tastes as good as one just picked on a crisp, sunny fall
day. Here in Alaska, winter comes early and there are certainly
no apple orchards to speak of. Needless to say, I've been feeling
somewhat nostalgic for the mouth-watering taste of fresh-picked
apples. So great was my craving that I asked a friend who was
coming to visit from Massachusetts to go to an orchard and pick
some for me. Perhaps my expectations were too high, though. For
while the apples she brought tasted delicious, they just couldn't
replicate the experience of being in an orchard on a sunny, fall,
New England day.
Americans have a long tradition of pomology, though sadly many
of the old varieties have been lost. Apples brought to New England
by the English settlers in the 1600s played a major role in sustaining
the colonists in the early years. So valuable was it to have an
apple tree, that land itself was considered an acceptable payment.
While there are about 100 apple varieties grown commercially in
the United States today, the selection in most supermarkets remains
limited to a handful of varieties, like the everpresent 'Red Delicious,'
'Golden Delicious' and 'Granny Smith.' There are currently about
7,500 apple varieties grown worldwide, but this pales in comparison
to the 19th century when American publications listed some 17,000
varieties available throughout the world.
Still, the process of choosing an apple for eating raw or for
cooking can be greatly confusing. While researching this article,
I found many sources that said 'McIntosh,' my favorite apple to
eat raw, was only considered suitable for baking or applesauce.
On the other hand, I discovered that my least favorite apple,
'Red Delicious,' was the most widely grown apple and the one considered
most suitable for eating raw.
Let's simplify the selection process a bit. As far as eating apples
raw, eat whatever you like. I see no reason to have rules here.
For baking, use firm apples such as 'Cortland,' 'Rome,' 'Jonathan'
and 'Mc-Intosh,' for anything where you want the apples to retain
their shape. For pies and muffins use a firm, strongly flavored
apple that is not too watery: 'Golden Delicious,' 'Winesap,' 'McIntosh'
and 'Granny Smith' are all good choices. When pairing apples with
meat in savory dishes, I prefer 'Golden Delicious' for it retains
its shape and acquires a rich, buttery flavor when cooked.
Although apples are considered a fall fruit, they are widely available
year-round. The recipes below include some of my favorite ingredients
to pair with apples such as cheese, cinnamon, caramel, and nuts,
particularly walnuts.
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