The Variety of Apples

While staying out here on the farm, I've been dealing with a lot of autumn apples. I don't know the particular varieties they have out here, but they range from small and yellow-green and tart to medium-sized, golden red and yellow.

But I got to experience an even wider range of locally-grown heirloom apple varieties over the weekend, at Appleberry Farm, a pick-your-own operation in nearby Cross Plains, WI.  Although they only had two commercial varieties growing on the trees that we could pick ourselves (MacIntosh and Cortland), they had a wide range of heirloom apples inside that you could also buy.

Who knew there were such exciting and delicious apples?! See for yourselves:

There were Duchess of Oldenburg and Chenango Strawberry:

Paula Red and Gravenstein:

Tetofsky and JonaMac:

Ashmeads Kernel ("a treat for the apple connoisseur") and McMahon:

I tried about half of these, and especially liked the Gravenstein, with its juicy, sweet/tart flavor.

And now I have to find time to do something with the rest of the apples I picked! Dried apples? Applesauce? Apple pie? Ooh, I know apple cheddar scones! (back with those tomorrow)

Any apple varieties you all particularly love? Or apple recipes for fall?


Comments

  1. For all of my apple adventures, I can't help but come back to the Honey Crisp. It's been my favorite since the first day I tried one.

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  2. You should write to Appleberry and have them plant some Honeycrisp trees. Yum.

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  3. Did I tell you this already? When I was visiting my aunt in Nevada I noticed that she had thrown out an entire bag of just-slightly-mushy apples. Unable to allow the atrocity to unfold, I salvaged them and made a giant apple crisp with flour, oats, brown sugar, and butter as a topping. My whole family shunned me and called me a dirty beggar for several days afterwards, but it was totally worth it.

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  4. I love that you're a dirty beggar.

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  5. JH! Appleberry does have Honeycrisp trees, but they are young and won't produce much of a harvest for another year or 2. Door Creek, a lovely orchard in Cottage Grove, has Honeycrisp. Honeycrisp trees are a difficult variety to obtain because U of MN controls supply and distribution - the ownership of these varieties is pretty interesting. I am going to make it my mission this fall to find a variety that you like as much, or more, than the Honeycrisp. - REM

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