Nothing says autumn like the smell of fresh apples. Did you know that there are 7500 varieties of apples grown in the world, and 2500 of those are grown in the United States?
The five most popular varieties
Golden Delicious: An all-purpose apple, with a freckled, golden-yellow skin. Golden Delicious apples are especially good in salads, because when cut, the flesh doesn’t darken as quickly as other varieties.
Jonathan: Another all-purpose apple, but not good for baking whole, because it loses its shape. Jonathan apples are small-medium sized and have a deep-red skin, with some yellow undertones.
McIntosh: A very juicy fruit, with a somewhat tart flavor. Some people don’t care to cook with these apples, because of their exceptionally smooth texture. These apples bruise more easily than other varieties and need handled carefully.
Red Delicious: This bright-red apple is the most popular variety in the United States. Red Delicious apples are sweet tasting and exceptionally crisp. Do not use these apples for cooking, because they disintegrate and lose their flavor when heated.
Rome Beauty: This red or red-striped fruit is a favorite for baking, because it holds its shape and becomes more flavorful as it’s cooked. However, these apples are not as good when eaten raw, and can taste rather bland and mealy.
Shopping tips
Only buy apples that are kept cold. If you can dent an apple with your finger, don’t purchase it. Choose apples with skins that are tight and unbroken.
Storage tips
Keep apples in a plastic bag in your refrigerator crisper. If purchased in good condition, apples will keep for up to 6 weeks in cold storage. Check apples frequently and remove any decayed apples, because the decay can spread to the other apples.