Apple

...a fresh approach to food & wine

Apple

German Name: Apfel

Swiss Name: Apfel

French Name: Pomme

Italian Name: Mela

The apple is Europe’s number one fruit, with hundreds (some say thousands) of varieties grown. Unfortunately, many varieties are slowly disappearing and being replaced by varieties better suited for storage and transportation – one side effect of globalization. Additionally, the varieties found in large supermarkets are often manipulated to produce sweeter, less acidic fruit – another side effect of catering to a world market. Fortunately, by visiting local markets in late summer and early Fall, many of the older apple varieties can still be purchased. See the chart below for a description of some of the many varieties available throughout Europe.

Season: July through October

Purchasing Tips: Always look for firm, well-colored apples. Avoid those with a musty fragrance. The skins should be smooth and free of bruises and excessive brown or soft spots.

Storage: Keep in a cool, dark location away from other fruits or vegetables.

Cooking Tips: Consume apples raw, baked, or sautéed. When using apples in cooking, always try to use a variety with high acid levels and relatively low sugar.

Nutritional Info: Excellent source of Vitamins A & C, along with potassium.

Apple Tasting Notes
variety	a few remarks	flavor	juice	size
Klarapfel	Quickly turns starchy, light yellow green color with white meat.	sour	juicy	middle
Bella Vista	Excellent unusual flavor with a nice combination of acid and sugar.	sweet/sour	middle	middle
July Red	Mild, early-season variety with good acid	sweet/sour	middle	middle
Sternapfel	Very old variety with hard meat and intense flavor	balanced acid/sugar	little	small
Ingrid Marie	Created in Denmark from Cox variety; good tasting apple that softens quickly.	balanced acid/sugar	juicy	middle
Boskop (Red)	Mutation from the green Boskop; good storage apple	fruity & acidic	middle	large
Golden Delicious	Very flavorful variety from USA	sweet	juicy	middle
Rubinette	Swiss variety; similar to the Cox apple; excellent aroma	sweet/good acid	juicy	middle
Jonagold	Cross from Golden Delicious and Jonathan; developed in USA	sweet/good acid	juicy	middle
Elstar	Cross between the Golden Delicious and the Ingrid Marie; middle hard flesh, and very aromatic	sweet/strong acid	middle	middle
Jonathan	Variety from the USA, with very hard meat	sweet/sour	very juicy	middle
Granny Smith	Green Australian variety with hard meat; very popular world-wide.	sour	little	middle
Cox Orange	Old variety with a typical apple aroma; middle hard meat and great flavor	sweet/nice acids	juicy	small
Braeburn	Variety from New Zealand; very aromatic and typical; hard meat	sweet/light acids	little	middle
Gloster	Cross between the Glockenapfel and Red Delicious; green skin, with white meat	sour	very juicy	middle
Idared	A cross developed in the USA; good storage capability; weak flavor	sweet/light acid	middle	large
Royal Gala	New Zealand mutant from the Gala; aromatic and flavorful	sweet	very juicy	middle
Fuji	Japanese cross between the Golden Delicious and the Ralls Janet; hard meat; late season variety	very sweet	juicy	middle
Berner Rosenapfel	Swiss variety with green skin and white meat; very flavorful	sweet/good acids	very juicy	middle
McIntosh Rogers	Old American variety; middle hard with green skin and very white meat	sweet/good acids	juicy	middle
Rote Sternrenette	Old European variety; very red with little white stars on the skin; worth finding	sweet/good acids	juicy	middle
Ananas Renette	Very decorative old variety; yellow skin with red stars; very good flavor	balanced	middle	small
Glockenapfel	Greenish-yellow skin with red hues; Swiss variety	sweet/sour	middle	middle
Pink Lady	Relatively new Australian variety; good storage	sweet/sour	middle	middle
Gravensteiner	Old European variety; fresh flavor and excellent aroma	balanced	very juicy	large

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this page last updated August 30, 2007