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Types of Apples and Their Uses |
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Written by Kerry Seymour
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Wednesday, 01 October 2008 |
Aah, apples! Who can resist the fragrance of the McIntosh, the round redness of the Rome, the mellow sweetness of a Golden Delicious, and the juicy tang of the Granny Smith? My mouth is watering for this abundant fall fruit. There are more than 7,500 apple varieties grown worldwide, more varieties than any other food. Of the 2,500 varieties grown here in the United States, a paltry dozen or so usually make it to the local supermarket.
People have heated debates over which is the best eating apple, and a lot depends on personal preference for sweet or tart, spicy or mellow, and tender or crisp. Not too long ago, choices were limited to sweet Red Delicious for snacking and the tart green Pippin for baking. Now, our choices have increased considerably, with local farmers’ markets and Apple Hill expanding the offerings. Personal favorites for snacking or using fresh in salads are Cameo, Gala, Fuji, and Jonagold, which are all on the sweet side. Braeburn and Granny Smith are particularly tasty tart apples.
For applesauce, Gravenstein is king, with Rome Beauty coming in as runner-up. If you can’t find either of these, use Cameo, Gala, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, or Pink Lady. For pies, use Cameo, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonathan, McIntosh, Pink Lady, or the charmingly lopsided York. Or, use a combination of these. Rome Beauty is the traditional apple used for baking and making apple dumplings because it gets a very tender texture when heated. However, Cameo, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and Jonathan/Jonagold can serve as delicious substitutes.
For decorative purposes at the holidays, heap a pretty bowl with crimson Rome Beauties or aromatic Spartans and McIntosh. Whichever varieties of apples you choose, pick apples that are free of bruises and visible damage, smell sweet, and feel firm to the touch. Apples are among the fruits that like the cold, so keep them refrigerated. Rotate apples used for decoration into the refrigerator after a few days. For best quality, eat or process apples within four to six weeks.
For more information on gardening or nutrition, contact University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, (775) 784-4848.
Kerry Seymour is a nutrition specialist for the western area of University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.
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