Malus Aforethought

[steepholm]

My apple-buying habits have changed over the years. Back in the day, I remember feeling that Golden Delicious apples were the bee's knees, but now I'd only eat one of the pallid pap globes if desperate. What changed - my taste, or the strain? Reliability is another factor. At its best, nothing beats a Cox's Orange Pippin - which is also the most beautiful of apples, appearing to have rolled out of a Chardin - but it often isn't at its best, and when it falls short it can be a very ordinary fruit indeed. Pink Lady and Granny Smith are similarly variable, both suffering a tendency to waxiness that can lead to heartbreaking disappointment, especially in the case of the pricey Pink Lady. In recent years, I've found Jazz offers the best overall combination of taste, texture and reliability, but it's usually quite expensive. Braeburn too is reliable, if not quite as tasty. Royal Gala is better than Golden Delicious, but still disappointingly bland. And then there's Russet, which offers the apple equivalent of Rupert Brooke's "rough male kiss of blankets" - a lovely apple, but not for every day.

What are your dessert apple choices? How do you rate the ones I've mentioned, and which others would you recommend?



[Poll #1901037]

Comments

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Like you, I buy Coxes when they first appear, russets for the novelty during their short season, and Braeburns when there's nothing more exciting on offer. I can always be tempted by an apple I've never met before, especially if it doesn't stress how sweet it is...

In defence of the Golden Delicious: I'd not buy them for eating, but if you want an apple which doesn't collapse in cooking - for a French-style tart, for example - it's a good option.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Okay - I'll give Golden Delicious a try next time I make an apple tart, with sugar and cinnamon to cover its nakedness.