I was reflecting on our last chat here about apples… didn’t someone mention Cortlands then? A few weeks ago, my produce guy Donald, mentioned that a box of apples had come in of a variety he had never heard of, something new or just something new to him. I said I’d give it a try and he went to the back of the store and fetched it out. It was a box of Cortland apples, an old variety I think and more popular on the East Coast perhaps. I had only heard of them, never tasted them and so Donald cut into one and gave me a slice. The apple is classic in color, like an artist’s rendering in oil of the perfect apple – dark red with a touch of brown, and at the stem it’s bright green. But what surprised Donald and me too as he cut into it was that the flesh is very white, the flavor sweet-tart. The skin is a bit tough, which makes me think this apple was a ‘keeper’ in people’s cellars once. Also probably a good cider apple. It made for an excellent apple crumble, even when sliced thin it kept up some texture.
Naturally, when I went back to get more there were only five or six apples left, and the produce guys doubted any more would come in. It was just something ‘corporate’ had sent out to the store, not an item ordered by the manager. I made a point of telling Gary how much I enjoyed the few I got and hoped to see them again next year. I recommend them here to the Happy Mutants if you’re lucky enough to find them.
