Apple Taste Test
Since the Flavor of the Month is apples, I thought it would be fun to do an apple taste test. We have so many great options here in Washington so it was also a great excuse to try them out and find a favorite (or 2 or 3!). Since there are so many varieties, I focused on the red/reddish green options. This means I didn’t include Golden Delicious or Granny Smith and several others you may already be familiar with.
So here we go:
Honeycrisp – This is probably a variety many of you have heard of. It’s a crisp and somewhat tart apple that is super flavorful. It’s the perfect apple to eat on its own or with peanut butter. These would also be a great apple to use in a pie because they aren’t too sweet and will hold their shape when baked. It also tends to be one of the pricier apples, at between $2.50 and $3.50 per pound depending on where you shop.
Cripps Pink – We found this apple disappointing. It has a thicker skin and is less tart. It also doesn’t have much apple flavor.
Braeburn – I thought this was an apple I was going to like, but it just pales in comparison to the Honeycrisp. It was mildly tart and not very crisp.
Sweetie – This apple lived up to its name, it was very sweet. It was also a dense apple with a thicker skin. It’s a good candidate for making applesauce because you wouldn’t need much sugar.
Ambrosia – This apple was crisp with a thick skin. It was a little tart and not too sweet. It would be super tasty with peanut butter. I would cal this the “porch pounder” of apples because it’s middle of the road but still flavorful.
McIntosh – This apple was the tartest of the batch. It also has a thick skin and was fairly soft inside. I would use this for a baked good where you don’t mind the apple getting mushy, like apple crisp.
Jazz – This apple wins the award for the juiciest. It was also crisp and right in between sweet and tart. It’s another great apple to eat on its own.
Fuji – Derek and I both agreed this apple was the most satisfying to eat. It’s sweet, a little tart, and had the purest apple flavor. It would be great in a salad also.
Envy – While this apple was sweet, it didn’t have much flavor. It was crispy and juicy, though, so I think it would be a good apple to use for a candied or caramel apple.
Red “Delicious” – I’ve never uderstood the name of this apple, because it is such a disappointing apple. It’s mushy, too sweet and has a thick skin. No thank you!
So there you have it. What are some of your favorite apples?
