Whether you’re seeking a full flavoured snack, refreshing cider or decadent dessert, here are five apple varieties to track down.
The apples that dominate supermarket shelves are successful for a reason, usually because of their sweetness, appearance or simply an ability to store well. But there are thousands of other intriguingly named varieties out there, some heirloom others more modern creations. Here are five apple varieties worth seeking out.
Is this the perfect eating apple? That’s certainly what the Delbard nursery in France was aiming for back in the 1950s when it crossed the ubiquitous Golden Delicious with the lesser known, sharper Stark Jonagrimes variety.
This medium-sized apple’s smooth skin is attractively streaked with red, giving way in a crisp crunch to fill your mouth with a beautiful sweetness tempered by refreshing acidity. There’s also a very delicate aniseed perfume. Although it bruises easily, some major retailers do stock the Delbard Estivale, often as a speciality apple, so keep your eyes open for a delicious new addition to the fruit bowl.
This variety was one of the most critically acclaimed creations of Albert Etter, an early 20th century apple enthusiast in California. Etter named it after his supportive friend and respected Californian pomologist Edward J. Wickson. Small and hardy with beautifully dense blossom like many crab apple varieties, the Wickson also shares their high pectin levels, making it suitable for jam and jelly production.
The variety’s particular appeal comes from the fact that it is larger and sweeter than most crab apples. That extra size comes packed with flavour and attractive aromas which, combined with their inherent crab apple astringency, translate beautifully into a cider blend. You could also try drying slices of Wickson for an invigoratingly tangy grown up snack.
The taste of autumn. There’s a delightfully mellow, rich, nutty character to this apple. The rough textured “russet” skin adds a drying, tannic edge that has kept Egremont Russet out of the commercial mainstream but adds so satisfyingly to its flavour.
This isn’t a hugely juicy or sweet apple but one that really comes into its own with a hunk of cheese. The variety’s unusual name is thought to come from the Earl of Egremont, whose Petworth estate in West Sussex, southern England, was historically well known for its orchards.
If you’re a fan of tarte tatin then this apple should be firmly on your radar. Legend has it the Orleans Reinette was the variety used in the original rendition of this classic French dessert. First recorded in France during the late 18th century, the variety is now found as far away as Oregon. With its low yield, roughly textured skin and resistance to long periods of storage, the biggest grocers understandably tend to steer well clear.
However, the Orleans Reinette compensates for these modern commercial deficiencies with a sweet, crisp flavour, nutty finish and – as pudding fans will attest – a useful ability to hold its shape when cooked. If there are any leftover from snacking and baking, then this is also a useful addition to your cider blend.
Is bigger better? The Japanese certainly think so. These eating apples, whose name immodestly translates as “World’s Best”, can weigh 2lb – almost a kilo – each. If you have a sweet tooth as well as a large appetite then this is the apple for you. Even if you could fit one in a lunchbox, the price might put you off using the Sekai Ichi for casual snacking: expect to pay about US$20 per apple.
For this fee you can expect a perfectly round, blemish free, hand stamped apple that may even have been washed in honey to accentuate that juicy sweetness. Created relatively recently in 1974 as a cross between the popular Golden Delicious and Red Delicious varieties, Sekai Ichi are today mostly grown in Japan’s apple capital, Aomori Prefecture. From here they are exported to perfection-seeking fruit fans around the world.
