Cortlands are my go to apple for pies, ok to eat. Rating them is somewhat dubious, as ripeness and freshness vary, if not controlled for. Any apple can eventually go mealy. So, hard to know that they’re not comparing apples and oranges, so to speak.
I have decided that list of Apple cultivars is an excellent list to pick from if you want to name a halfling or gnome. List of apple cultivars - Wikipedia
I honestly don’t understand the issue with Red Delicious apples.
I get them sometimes, and they are some of the best apples I’ve ever eaten. Absolutely delicious, with a delicious taste balanced between sweet and tart; with a fine, silky flesh. The only drawback is a slightly thick skin, but even then it isn’t bad. (And it makes them travel really, really well.) I’ve gotten them fresh from the tree and they very much live up to their name. While not the best apples, they are certainly very respectable and up there.
And then, sometimes, I get one that is mealy fleshed, has virtually no flavor at all, has a skin that literally hurts my teeth it’s so thick; sometimes the flesh underneath is so mealy it just shifts under the skin when you try to bite through. They suck. And they match the descriptions other people give of Red Delicious apples.
And I’m wondering if there are two variants with the same name, and that’s why there are all the problems. I’ve noticed that eastern Red Delicious apples (OH, WV, NY) tend to be better (but not always), and I’ve never gotten a west coast Red Delicious apple that was worth eating at all.
So much about the flavour of apples (or any fruit) is how fresh and ripe they are. I’ve never had a Braeburn, but most Macoun’s I’ve had have been atrocious. Most likely it’s because they were old or shipped across the country. And, I’ve got a Jonagold tree in my backyard that produces sublime fruit.
One of my favourite autumn events is the apple festival near me. One of the things they host is an apple tasting, where you move around and taste 40 varieties of apple. Some are heirloom, and some are mass produced. It’s amazing how different they can all taste.
I’m surprised Ambrosia apples aren’t listed. I buy almost of dozen of those a week.
It’s the time of year for the Apple conversation again, I see. The answer is still the russet.
For me, there was a period of time (probably in the late 90s) where I don’t remember eating a good red delicious. They were always mushy and gross. I know that’s not always the case and how fresh the apple is definitely plays a big part in it, but I have a hard time not thinking of them as gross because of that. Having said that, I honestly don’t remember the last time I had one. I don’t think they grow around here, so I tend not to think about them much.
Perhaps you are just rating grocery store apples. The best apples are heirloom varieties before they were bred for appearance rather than flavor. For example, Cox’s Orange Pippin is small with a green and brown warty skin. Even the so-called Delicious used to be pretty good before it was bright red. Look at a farmers market for a Delicious with light red and green striped skin. Best Apple I ever had was an Australian Batlow.
I remember growing up thinking they were good, but haven’t found them as good for the last few decades. I grew up in Upstate NY, apple country, and haven’t lived there since the 80’s, so may have been getting fresher apples back then, or just a tastier variant than average.
I worked in apple orchards as a kid, and always liked the Jersey Macs the most. They were best just slightly green, which makes them extra tart.
Had one in the rear of the property while growing up in New Jersey, it was a massive producer. Best apple pie I ever had was a Jersey Mac apple pie. Yummy!
Honeycrisp. Sometimes Granny Smiths if I’m in a bad mood.
Next question.
I’m a granny smith devotee, being a fan of crisp, tart apples. They almost never fail to meet their standard.
At one point, I tried a macoun and it was amazing, I thought I’d found a new favorite. But every macoun I’ve had after the first was mealy and old, so I went back to my staple.
I forget I’m lucky to live in washington, and can have more or less fresh apples year-round.
About a decade ago, some genius developed an industrial method of synthesizing a warehouse fill gas that neutralizes ethylene so effectively that they can prevent apples from ripening for a whole year. As long as they’re kept near freezing, in the dark, and under the gas.
That’s why apples kinda su k most places now. They’ve been sitting green nearly frozen for 6 months, then quickly force-ripened with an onslaught of ethylene gas and heat.
Oh, oh! It’s a trick question…it’s “the one in front of you,” isn’t it? Or “the best apples are the ones that were in us all along?”
“What is the most important apple a man can eat?” Or am I getting things mixed up again…?
Definitely White Tiger apples
Never a shortage of Apple Fanbois…
Ambrosias are my go-to. They’re available almost year-round here with consistent quality and usually less expensive than Honeycrisp, which is the prestige apple in this market. Great to excellent flavor and texture almost every time.
As this thread proves, there is much variety to apple experiences, not only among different types, but even within the same type of apple. I say stick with candy bars; they’re comfortingly consistent.
Are those any relation to a Macintosh? The shape makes me think so.
The best apple is Cox’s Orange Pippin, but good luck finding it in the US. However, @FSogol provides the only correct answer:
*Calvados, specifically.
