I slept in a tree again?

I was supposed to do these apples a week ago, but I developed a mental block around it and just didn't feel like trying apples. I dislike novelty when I'm stressed. But let's have a go at it now.

Disclaimer: I only managed to get one Holiday, and even that one had a gouge in it and seemed a bit iffy. So I wasn't expecting much here, and I'm not sure it's a fair test.



Verdict: This was actually a perfectly decent apple. Nothing super exciting -- a little sweet, a decent amount of generic apple flavor, a little tartness eventually showing through -- but it's a fine apple, really.

Buy again? I was going to say "Eh, if I'm ever at Weston's again there will probably be something more exciting on offer," but actually, I enjoyed eating it and would do so again. That's a pretty good verdict for a poor specimen, and I'd be happy to try a better-looking one.

On to Rubinette, which I was much more looking forward to:


Verdict: Bleh. I expected Rubinette to show well in contrast to my sad little Holiday; it's a Golden Delicious/Cox's Orange Pippin cross, and Adam tried an iffy one that was nonetheless quite good and got a star. Mine looked fine, if a bit greener than the Rubinettes in most photos I've seen. Were they underripe or something? I tried one (the other one had a cut that looked a bit nasty by the time I got around to it) and it was rather sour, in an unpleasant way. I didn't get much else out of it. Kind of astringent. It had none of the subtleties of Cox's Orange Pippin that one might rhapsodize about. Surely this is a better apple than what I'm experiencing here. In this little head to head comparison, I'm shocked that Holiday came out ahead.

Buy again? I feel obliged to try another one just to see if mine were bad. If this is what Rubinette ordinarily tastes like, I'm not a fan. (It can't be what Rubinette ordinarily tastes like, surely.)

A classic apple I hadn't had a chance to try yet (thanks, nonelvis!).

Adam gave it a rare three-star rating ("exceptional apple, worth a quest") and says it's his favorite eating apple. "Macoun tastes wonderful--a nice sweet-tart balance with hints of strawberries, plus spice and floral notes. The fruit's wine-like acidity swims thrillingly in the river of these flavors. Macoun's distinctive savor lingers like a cool drink and elevates this apple to the first rank. Eating one is a treat."

(Also, in the comments section, even Adam is impressed with Weston's Antique Apples in Wisconsin! I really must get there this fall.)



Verdict: I lack Adam's discerning palate, or perhaps it's just the late season; it was a little watery, and the sweetness and tartness were both rather muted. I did notice the strawberry/floral notes, so go me. It was certainly a good apple, and of course I'd choose it over anything with a familial relation to Honeycrisp, but it hasn't unseated Lady Alice as my current favorite.

Buy again? I'll try it again if I see one, especially if I can get fresh ones from Weston's this fall. I'm unlikely to see it in any other context!

Surprisingly, I found a new-to-me apple at Bristol Farms recently: Spartan. It's hardly a new apple, but it's not one I've seen around here before. I'm eager to try anything that's not a trademarked Honeycrisp cross with a ridiculous website. Adam liked it, comparing it to Empire, which I know I like; "very crisp and juicy, sweet with just a little tempering tartness. The even flavor is slightly vinous, with floral notes and a little spice," he says. Sounds all right to me, though I do prefer apples to be more on the tart side.



Verdict: This is actually my second Spartan. I tried to review it last week, but when it came time to eat it I thought I'd waited too long and it was going off, because it was mushy and grainy and giving me uncomfortable memories of Red Delicious. The taste wasn't bad, but I couldn't really evaluate it.

But my second one also has an odd, grainy, mealy texture that I dislike, plus the skin is chewy. Its taste is fine, but nothing special -- juicy, a little sweet, quite "apple," no noticeable tartness. The second apple, like the first, browned so quickly that some parts looked gross before I was even finished.

Have I just gotten bad ones? I don't know. But I think I've given it enough chances.

Buy again? Sorry to say it, but this one's a pass.

You read that right. I found Cox's Orange Pippin at Whole Foods.

It is the apple holy grail, legendary and elusive, an apple on my bucket list, an apple I only hoped I might someday encounter, given where I live.

How can it possibly live up to that? Maybe it won't. Maybe these were picked too early, or not handled well. Maybe I lack the refined palate to truly appreciate it. Maybe I'm just not worthy. I'm almost worried that I encountered it too early to properly contextualize it, but then, if I had to wait years I'd probably be imagining it on an even higher pedestal.

Adam's review is rhapsodic; it's one of only four apples he considered worthy of three stars.

This is a wonderfully well-balanced apple with a complex bouquet of tastes: cider, a hint of cinnamon and hazelnut, and strong orange and mango notes.

The even sweet-tart balance is the perfect backdrop against which these flavors gracefully unfold. ... The general effect is marvelously complex, rich, and satisfying on more than one level.

Small wonder that to many connoisseurs Cox's is the best desert apple. Yorkshire-based Orange Pippin, its very name a tribute to this variety, praises Cox's and concludes

"Flavour is a very personal thing but Cox's Orange Pippin is "essential reading" for anyone interested in apples. In terms of flavour it is unquestionably the benchmark against which all others are measured..."

I'm either going to have an applegasm, or I'm going to be deeply disappointed (probably in myself). If I don't love it, does this call my whole apple sampling project into question? What would be the point be, if I don't like the best?

No pressure, Cox.



Verdict: Oh my god this is actually an excellent apple. Wonderfully balanced sweetness and tartness; strong, complex flavors. It's a lively apple. I can't talk about this stuff like Adam does, but I can safely say this is the best apple I have ever tried.

Buy again? You think I'm likely to have the opportunity?

Whole Foods had a whole table section full of them last night, though. I HAVE TO GO BACK.

This is a relatively new variety of apple, which apparently used to come packaged in a tube like tennis balls. Mine were in a bag, and half of them got mushy before I got around to opening it. Not a promising start.

The apple's website is surprisingly modest, confining itself to saying that they're sweet, crunchy and “distinctively fresh.” Come on, I can't work with claims this vague. Adam has reviewed it; he says it has "crisp coarse yellow flesh, juicy and with a robust crunch. They are predominantly sweet with notes of carrot (sometimes) and clove. This is not overpowering but in some samples the clove is quite pronounced, an unusual flavor both enjoyable and successful. It sets Rockit apart." I don't know if I want my apples to taste like clove, but I guess I'll see.



Verdict: My main impression is that these are crisp, almost hard, in a way I don't really like. Adam said his samples weren't unpleasantly hard, but mine were (at least, the ones that hadn't rotted). They're sweet without much balance; I don't think I taste cloves, but I can sometimes sort of imagine the carrot he identified. I think this apple is boring and the texture is putting me off.

Buy again? No, and the fact that I had to buy a whole bag to try them was annoying as well.

And with that, I am out of apples again. Not only am I not finding a lot of new apples as I enter my second year of looking, but I can't find some old favorites either. I haven't seen a single Aurora; now, there was an apple that could pull off sweet without being boring. Lady Alice hasn't shown up at Bristol Farms yet, either. It's a good spring apple, because it apparently needs to be stored for a while to develop its flavor. I read that Trader Joe's has been selling them in bags, but my local TJ's doesn't have any.

Lacking other options at the grocery store this week, I bought a Pink Lady, my favorite of the common supermarket apples. But I'd love to try something new.

And then there was one. Arkansas Black is the last new apple I've got queued up. I even went to Sprouts last night, but they didn't have anything I hadn't already tried. (I got an Opal and a Snapdragon anyway.) I expect I'll still find some more new ones, but probably not as easily as I have been.

I don't know what to expect from Arkansas Black. One website says, "Arkansas Black is one of those apples that apparently holds no middle ground among apple fanciers; they either love it or hate it… Period. For those who despise the apple I prefer to think it’s just a case of misunderstanding. Arkansas Black is a fine apple with many exceptional merits that deserves more respect but, in order to properly enjoy the fruit one must exercise a bit of patience and give the apple a little extra time to become “all it can be”. [...] In fact, the apple reaches its peak in flavor and texture after a long period in cold storage. When first picked in October the apple can be as hard as a rock and almost as flavorful! Trying to enjoy the apple at this stage will usually lead to disappointment. However, after an extended period of storage, the apple undergoes a dramatic change and becomes a rather fine dessert apple. The sharp tartness mellows significantly into a rich sweetness that will surprise the skeptic who might have expressed some disdain with a freshly-picked apple. The hard, dense texture improves greatly as well, becoming a softer and more tender apple while still retaining a pleasing crispness."

Well, I haven't got months of cold storage, I've got a couple of weeks on my counter, which I'm sure has done the apple no favors. I was super interested in it to begin with, but kept putting it off because everyone says it's no good till later in the season.

Adam says, "The Black's flavors are sweet, tart, and acid. The highlights are unusual and challenging: hint of pear and something like tobacco. The finish is nicely astringent. I can't imagine this distinctive variety being hugely popular today, but I am enjoying mine."

He agrees that the apple is better in January than November, and has taken extensive notes on eating them every month: "For what it's worth, my periodic tasting notes on Arkansas Black follow, the many verses of a ballad documenting every minute change in texture, aroma, and taste." You can read them if you want, but everyone's already told me this apple will be weird and terrible since I'm eating it relatively fresh. I don't know a good way to keep it till January, so I think I'll just eat it.



Verdict: Oh man they're right this is weird I hate this apple. There's some tartness and some mealiness and... what is that terrible flavor? Do I want to try to parse it out? It smells like it tastes. I can't make myself take another bite.

Buy again? If I see one in January or March or whenever, I'll give it the benefit of doubt. Otherwise, ugh. I'm going to go eat a Pippin now.

These are odd little bite-sized apples, sold by the bag; when Adam first reviewed Crimson Gold, his sample was of normal size. Some discussion ensued about whether the regular apples and the "confusingly tiny" ones were grown differently, or even whether they were the same kind, but the conclusion was that they do taste the same. Which is good: they're "sweet tempered by considerable tartness. Flavors of cane sugar and orange juice come to the fore, and there are hints of cream soda and spice. A very fine apple when ripe (yellow, not green, beneath the blush). The flavors in a less-ripe example were not as clear and assertive but seemed to include a whiff of flowers; the texture was still excellent."



Verdict: Definitely an interesting flavor -- the tartness is somehow not acidic, and it's mixed with considerable sweetness. I can actually taste the orange and cream soda notes Adam was talking about. Unfortunately, the tiny apples aren't much fun to eat -- you can't just take a bite, you have to nibble around avoiding the seeds. That makes it hard to make judgments about the texture, and makes the skin-to-apple ratio feel off. Which is a pity, because I think I'd really like this flavor in a regular-sized apple.

Buy again? I probably will grab another bag of them next time I see them, but I do wish they were bigger.

I get to try Empire today, thanks to captainsblog!

Specialty Produce doesn't bother getting flowery about it: "Its crisp and juicy flesh has a flavor that is sweet like a Red Delicious and tart like a McIntosh."

Adam's Apples goes into more detail: "crisp and juicy, though the crunch is just a tad soft. The sweet-tart balance is very good, more tart than that of Spartan, another McIntosh offspring that it in some respects resembles. Against this backdrop are some vinous notes with berries and (maybe) some spice."

In any case, it's a good-looking apple (smells nice, too!), and I'm eager to try one of the older, more respectable varieties rather than all this faddy stuff.



Verdict: Finally, an interesting apple! While mine were a touch soft (and a bit Red Delicious in texture, actually), the flavor was fascinating, very apple, but with just the right balancing tartness. Empire keeps getting described as "vinous," which may be the quality I'm struggling to describe. You can tell this apple never met a Honeycrisp, and it has no regrets. I'd like it to be less mealy, but I suspect it held up better in the US Postal Service than most varieties would have. It's very different from the other kinds I've been trying lately, and quite good, which really makes me want to keep trying these older varieties.

Buy again? Yes, but I don't think I could get them here.

These apples looked weird and sickly at first glance when I saw them in Sprouts, but the color grew on me -- yellow with a hint of almost neon orange. Then I looked them up online:



Whoa, cool.

Lucy Glo is one of two new "Lucy" apples, the other being Lucy Rose. Says their website:

Lucy™ Apples are grown in the heart of Central Washington by a small group of pioneering growers who are passionate about developing new varieties. Through countless years of research and development, they discovered they could grow a great tasting, pink-red interior apple.

Lucy™Apples are part Honeycrisp, which give them their sweet, tangy flavor and crunchy texture we all love. Lucy™Rose has a red skin and sweet berry notes in the flavor profile. Lucy™Glo has a gorgeous yellow skin that allows the red interior glow from within and is tangy with a hint of sweet.

Sounds great! I couldn't wait to try it.



I cut it in half first -- yep, it's pink inside! Neat.



Verdict: NEVER HAVE I BEEN SO BITTERLY DISAPPOINTED BY AN APPLE. "Tangy with a hint of sweet" should be right up my alley. Unfortunately, what it actually tastes like is "nothing, with a hint of watery apple." The dominant impression is bland and watery, faintly sweet. There was a barely detectable hint of tartness at the start, but it was gone before the apple was. The aftertaste isn't terrible -- it actually leaves a little lingering tanginess -- but that's the best I can say for it.

Buy again? Are you kidding? I got two, and I don't even want to eat the second one. Maybe they were handled badly -- this is another one from the beat-up stragglers bin at Sprouts. I suppose I'll try the other to see if it shows any more promise. But... meh.

Apparently by this I mean "Newtown Pippin," but the sticker just said "Pippin."

(Newtown) Pippin is not a new apple, so it doesn't have fancy marketing or trademarks. "Its clean, highly aromatic flavor, a blend of pine, citrus and walnut that somehow epitomizes apple, has an ideal balance of sweetness and acidity and a complex, lingering aftertaste," says the New York Times, of all places.

Adam says, " The flavor is tart and moderately acid balanced with sweet, with hints of lime and cider. The overall effect is astringent, lively, and refreshing. Promoters sometimes represent other apples as an American version of the popular Granny Smith. Although no one seems to have made that comparison with respect to Newtown, this is the only variety I have sampled that has anything like Granny's fundamental tang and crunch."

All the Pippins I saw looked like weird green peppers, which is unfortunate because I really hate green peppers. I promise not to hold that against this apple, though.



Verdict: I like a tart apple, so I liked this. It seemed a bit less acidic than Granny Smith, which is a good thing for my teeth. Mostly I got "tart" and "sweet" and "sweetly tart" and "tartly sweet" out of it, which wasn't really nuanced, but was enjoyable. A lot of places say that Pippins get more complex with age, but I don't know how to store an apple for months on end without anything going wrong with it. Besides, I've got things to do, apples to eat. And I was hungry.

Buy again? Sure. I'm actually surprised I haven't seen these around a little more, though, so I don't know how many opportunities I'll have.

Right now, I have several more varieties queued up: Green Dragon, Crimson Gold, Arkansas Black, and Empire (thanks, captainsblog!). I might check some of the local organic-type grocery stores for others this weekend. I didn't make it to Julian during apple season, but it looks like I'll still have quite a few new apples to try.