2009 April | Sweet As Can Bee Honey Farm

How to Buy & Use Apples

Chef Isaac | April 27, 2009

Washington state is known for their apple production. The eastern side of Washington is where the big production is, on the western side, you will see some smaller farms that specialize in apples.

Washington captures about half of the apple production in the US. With that, 90% of those apples are exported all over the world. Our growing conditions throughout the state make a great recipe for apple success.

For the cook and baker, sometimes it’s hard to tell which apple to use. Just like a potato, choosing the wrong apple can lead to a culinary 9-1-1 disaster.

First thing is first, we need to decide on what apple to use. Are we making a pie? Applesauce? Stuffing? Each preparation is going to call for a different kind of apple. Knowing, or at least having a base understanding, of the apples and their uses will really help you out when you are at the store. Yes, sometimes the variety might not be available for that time of year but the great thing about apples is that they fit certain categories. Let’s look at some of the major and minor varieties of apples and learn a little bit about them.

Granny Smith: This apple is pretty tart. One thing I like about it is that is has a nice crispness to it. It is one apple I love to use for baking. Some people like to eat it as is too. For me, it is a little too tart raw.

Golden Delicious: This apple has an amazing sweet taste to it and is very juicy. I find this great when I make sauces (like applesauce), when I bake, or make salads and when I am looking for an apple for a snack.

Jonagold: Best of all three worlds. Consisting of tart, juiciness and has a nice crisp. Great for baking and if you like tart, this apple is wonderful to eat on the run.

Brauburn: Crisp apple with a sweet edge on it. Even though is has a nice sweetness to it, there is a tartness that comes through with the taste of this apple. Great to use for pies and other baking applications.

Fuji: Sweet and juicy. I love this apple because it is great to eat as is.

Red Delicious: Great apple to eat as is. Not the best to cook or bake with. Has a mild tart flavor with a hint of sweetness that is really subtle.

Pink Lady: One of my favorite apples. Juicy with a very intense sweetness to it. Great for eating and baking with. If you decide to bake with it, you can get away with using less sweetener.

Gala: This apple has a nice crispness to it. Very fragrant with a mild tart taste. Great for eating as is, baking, cooking, and making sauces with.

Honeycrisp: Another one of my favorite apples. It has a nice sweetness to it with a crisp firm texture. Also carries a little tartness too. Great apple to use for eating as is.

How to buy apples: Now that we know what profile each apple has, we need to know what to look for. When picking apples, look for apples that do not have any outside blemishes. If there are any bruises on the outside, it will translate to underneath the skin. Some preparations are OK for this like if you were making a pie or apple sauce. However, if you were using the apples as a center piece or slices for fondue, I would not choose apples like this.

I also like to find apples that are firm with some give to it, especially if I am using it to bake or cook with. Firm apples will hold their shape better. That doesn’t mean that if you have apples laying around and they are a little soft to throw them away. You can still use them for sauces etc. However, when you are buying from the store, look for firm apples.

I have read that you should also look for the perfect round apple. This is not true at all. Just like people, apples come in all colors, sizes and shapes. Uniform appearance is only appealing to the eye and does not enhance the flavor or taste of the final product.

I hope this helps. If you need any more help, have questions or comments, feel free to let me know!