Gerry
Red Delicious apples that I have tasted grown and ripened on the tree
are very juicey and delicious indeed. Every year at Thanksgiving my
parents bring me a whole box of them down from Colorado. When I was a
kid, and lived in Colorado, I would pick them for a farmer up the road,
out of his orchards. I tended to eat quite a few of them as well. Very
good apples. I won't buy them from the supermarket, because you are
right, they test like crap!
-----
Alan Chandler, Arizona Sunset Zone: 13
http://www.gizmoaz.com
Over 200 Roses and 122 Different varieties! Never a dull moment!!
Check out the Garden Cams on Saturday and Sunday!!
--
Delicious Autumn!
My very soul is wedded to it,
and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth
seeking the successive autumns.
~George Eliot
Gerry Strey wrote:
Linda, sounds like it might be a McIntosh or a Jonamac (a Jonathan x
McIntosh). Both are very good apples.
The Red Delicious is one reason the apple industry is really struggling
these days. Too much focus on looks and shipping/keeping qualities and not
enough focus on flavor. Also, stored Red Delicious can't compete with the
fresh imports from New Zealand and Australia during the summer months. In a
few years it might be hard to find Red Delicious in stores. Here in apple
country people are pulling them out and either quitting the business or
replanting with better tasting varieties.
My very favorite is Spitzenburg but it only available from small orchardists
and doesn't store all that well for me. For store bought apples I love
Galas and Braeburns. I love crisp, subacid, juicy apples. Spartans are
another excellent apple but hard to find.
If you like sweet apples Sweet Sixteen is excellent.
One I would like to try but is always sold out when I want to buy a tree is
Duchess of Oldenburg.
Terry
E. WA zone 4
Macintosh Apples are my very favorite when in season, the rest of the
year they tend to taste bad too. But I love Macs...they should be
showing up at the stores soon, huh? I'm drooling just thinking of them
:)
-----
Alan Chandler, Arizona Sunset Zone: 13
http://www.gizmoaz.com
Over 200 Roses and 122 Different varieties! Never a dull moment!!
Check out the Garden Cams on Saturday and Sunday!!
--
Delicious Autumn!
My very soul is wedded to it,
and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth
seeking the successive autumns.
~George Eliot
swaine wrote:
George Shirley wrote:
Freshly picked Red Delicious are indeed very tasty - a mild flavor compared to many others, but extremely crisp and juicy. Unfortunately, the huge majority of the current harvest is for export only - probably why those you remember from Saudi Arabia were so much better than local, store-bought ones. The apples offered for sale in supermarkets have been
held in cold storage for upto 18 months! Although Reds hold up very well under CA conditions, they do lose some of their texture and much of their juice. A shame really - Washington's leading crop of apples all destined for foreign markets. Many of our apple growers are now adding other varieties to their orchards - Braeburns, Gala, Fuji and Granny Smith
- which don't fare as well in CA and get to markets in peak condition.
Pam - gardengal
WA state
The topics of eating and cooking with apples have come up on another list =
I belong to, and the Red Delicious has been condemned. I think the =
supermarket variety is truly awful, bitter and mealy, but I seem to =
remember somone on this list (George?) saying that in the past home grown =
red delicious were very good. Can anyone confirm my recollection?
Gerry Strey
Mladison, Wisconsin
Yeah, that was me. My FIL grew both red and golden delicious apples at his place in Southern
Maryland. IIRC he had two trees of each. They were outstanding apples but you must bear in mind this
was in the mid-late fifties and the trees were probably 20 years old then. I think they have bred
the delicious apples for looks more than for taste nowadays. We did get Red Delicious apples in
Saudi Arabia that had been shipped in from Washington State that were tasty, more so than the ones
you can buy in supermarkets.
I have gone to the Rome, Gala, Fuji, and some of the other "newer" varieties in order to get good
tasting apples. My favorite has become the Gala, they haven't failed to be good yet. I like a sweet
apple with just a hint of tartness and it must be crisp. Grannie Smith's are okay but are a bit to
tart for eating out of hand for me.
George
Gerry Strey wrote:
I don't see any Malus other than crabapples either.
Terry
I do remember people saying this and my Dad grows the red and the yellow
delicious and they are quite good...I still prefer a tart apple, though.
Debbie in Williamsburg, VA
-----Original Message-----
From: Gardens & Gardening [mailto:GARDENS@lsv.uky.edu] On Behalf Of Gerry
Strey
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2001 9:39 AM
To: GARDENS@lsv.uky.edu
Subject: "Red Delicious" Apples
The topics of eating and cooking with apples have come up on another list I
belong to, and the Red Delicious has been condemned. I think the
supermarket variety is truly awful, bitter and mealy, but I seem to remember
somone on this list (George?) saying that in the past home grown red
delicious were very good. Can anyone confirm my recollection?
Gerry Strey
Mladison, Wisconsin
An Arkansas Black? Margaret L
Probably a red Bartlett. Margaret L
Terry,
You might try Dermitt Hill. here is their contact info:
DeMeritt Hill Farm
66 Lee Road (Route 155)
Lee, New Hampshire 03824
(603)868-2111
Their website is: http://dmhf.tripod.com/apples.html#top
They state that all the apples they carry are not listed, but they also
mention the Spitzenburg apple in some trivia..so I bet they might carry
it.
Hope this helps :)
-----
Alan Chandler, Arizona Sunset Zone: 13
http://www.gizmoaz.com
Over 200 Roses and 122 Different varieties! Never a dull moment!!
Check out the Garden Cams on Saturday and Sunday!!
--
Delicious Autumn!
My very soul is wedded to it,
and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth
seeking the successive autumns.
~George Eliot
Terry King wrote:
Terry, ForestFarm has an on-line catalog now, at www.forestfarm.com . But
if they're carrying any Malus other than @#$% crabapples, I can't find
them. You're more proficient at computer than I...Margaret L
We have both red and golden delicious apple trees and the fruit is
wonderful... not bitter or mealy. If you prefer more tartness, just
pick them early. I agree that most supermarket apples are poor. We
make some applesauce with the delicious variety because they stay
chunky (the way we like them) and there is no need to add sugar...
yum. If you want "tart," our Granny Smith's have got to be the most
"pucker-your -mouth" apples in existence. 8 *
My current personal favorite out-of-hand apple is Fuji. I had a new
"unknown name" apple from the market last year that was fantastic.
I'm still trying to determine what it was... red delicious shape
(whatever that's called), blackish-red color skin, very white
interior, crispy and firm, slightly tart with a hint of cinnamon
taste. Sound familiar to anyone?
Next spring we're going to try some grafting (another learning
process) because some of our trees have outlived their
productiveness. My grandfather grafted what we have now, but I was
too young to get involved. Dunno what the rootstock is, etc. Figure
we can get an orchardist to help us. It will be fun to try. Linda
in NW Ohio.
Ok, sorry, from the posts that both of you were making, I got the
impression she was looking for a supplier. I'm sorry I misunderstood.
-----
Alan Chandler, Arizona Sunset Zone: 13
http://www.gizmoaz.com
Over 200 Roses and 122 Different varieties! Never a dull moment!!
Check out the Garden Cams on Saturday and Sunday!!
--
Delicious Autumn!
My very soul is wedded to it,
and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth
seeking the successive autumns.
~George Eliot
Margaret Lauterbach wrote:
No Duchess of Oldenburg, but Raintree Nursery in Morton, WA has an excellent
selection of apple trees (including several heirloom varieties) specially selected
to do well in the PNW. Here is a link to their apple selections:
http://www.raintreenursery.com/catalog/producttype.cfm?producttype=appl
A great nursery - I recommend them highly (and, I recommend the Honeycrisp -
wonderful, multi-purpose apple!)
Pam - gardengal
Margaret Lauterbach wrote:
Winesap?? McCoun?
I like crisp apples, they can be sweet or semi tart, but they've gotta be
crisp. Macs are fine. I dislike Red Delicious, ones from shops are always
mealy ... although Golden Delicious always seems to be better. Find best
baking apple for tarts, etc is Northern Spy and I wish I could find this
apple more easily. :o(
Karen, NJ
> I don't see any Malus other than crabapples either.
> Terry
I have their '98 catalog, and they used to carry several apple
varieties. Margaret L
Terry lives in the Pacific Northwest, Alan. Lots of tree nurseries in this
area. One Green World carries Spitzenberg and other interesting-sounding
varieties, and they're in Oregon, so shipping wouldn't be ruinous. Perhaps
the best bet, Terry, is to privately ask Lon Rombaugh if he can recommend a
nursery that carries what you want. He has some issues with some nurseries
in our area. His add. is lonrom@hevanet.com . Margaret L
Hi George,
I'm with you on the apples. I think the Delicious apples are very
pretty, but lack the taste I like in an apple.
Today, I'm going to try a red pear. There are 50 cents a pounds more
and supposed to be better than the Barlett or Anju. We'll see. ;)
I wonder what I'm eating. ??
Best,
June (with a fancy new pear).
> Yeah, that was me. My FIL grew both red and golden delicious apples at his
place in Southern
> Maryland. IIRC he had two trees of each. They were outstanding apples but
you must bear in mind this
> was in the mid-late fifties and the trees were probably 20 years old then.
I think they have bred
> the delicious apples for looks more than for taste nowadays. We did get
Red Delicious apples in
> Saudi Arabia that had been shipped in from Washington State that were
tasty, more so than the ones
> you can buy in supermarkets.
> I have gone to the Rome, Gala, Fuji, and some of the other "newer"
varieties in order to get good
> tasting apples. My favorite has become the Gala, they haven't failed to be
good yet. I like a sweet
> apple with just a hint of tartness and it must be crisp. Grannie Smith's
are okay but are a bit to
I stopped by one of the local orchards one day last week. They had 22
varieties of apples. They had red delicious and other common ones but I had
never heard of Banana or Paradise, along with a couple of others! I
discovered I can mark the skin with a ball point point to remember the
variety name. I need to go back and fill a mixed bag with all kinds to do a
taste test!
Barbara M. Martin
Current Mid-Atlantic Garden Report: "Late Season To-Do List"
http://nationalgardening.com/regional/report.taf?regionid=13
Cottage Garden: "Piggy's Favorite Playground, II"
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/cottage_gardening/79317
Co-Owner, Gardens List http://www.scin.quik.com/dorsettm/notes.html
his place in Southern
> Maryland. IIRC he had two trees of each. They were outstanding apples
but you must bear in mind this
> was in the mid-late fifties and the trees were probably 20 years old
then. I think they have bred
> the delicious apples for looks more than for taste nowadays. We did get
Red Delicious apples in
> Saudi Arabia that had been shipped in from Washington State that were
tasty, more so than the ones
> you can buy in supermarkets.
> Freshly picked Red Delicious are indeed very tasty - a mild flavor
compared to many others, but extremely crisp and juicy. Unfortunately, the
huge majority of the current harvest is for export only - probably why those
you remember from Saudi Arabia were so much better than local, store-bought
ones. The apples offered for sale in supermarkets have been
> held in cold storage for upto 18 months! Although Reds hold up very well
under CA conditions, they do lose some of their texture and much of their
juice. A shame really - Washington's leading crop of apples all destined for
foreign markets. Many of our apple growers are now adding other varieties to
their orchards - Braeburns, Gala, Fuji and Granny Smith
Mine too, Alan. They are grown right around here. I buy them at the local
farm stands. They don't keep well do they? Pretty soon there will be
fresh apple cider - unpasteurized. We let it set for a few days and the
cider acquires that nice little tang :-) Usually the cider is made from a
variety of apples. Too dull if its just one kind. We have had hot cinnamon
apple sundaes a couple of times recently. I'm using our Matzu (Matsu,
Mutzu?) apples for the sundaes. This is the best crop we have had and I
have no idea why. We have not had very much rain and the water table is
very low. The apple tree sits right at the bottom of the hill by the garden
terraces. I kept the terraces watered from the rain barrels and maybe some
drained out onto the ground by the tree?
ann
gypsy@francomm.com
be
> crisp. Macs are fine. I dislike Red Delicious, ones from shops are
always
I believe Miller Nurseries, Canandaigua, NY, offers Duchjess of Oldenburg =
among their antique applevarities. I think they list Spitzenburg, too.
Gerry Strey
Madison. Wisconsin
Terry, thanks but it's neither McIntosh nor Jonamac. I know both of
these apples. Margaret, Arkansas Black has a flush of yellow (I
think). The apple has no color other than the very dark black-red,
with maybe a few teeny blackish spots. It's local so I'll find out.
Linda in NW Ohio.
Hmmmm. I know somewhere I read a description of an apple that described a
cinnamon flavor but I can't find it. I would be interested to know what it
is when you find out. Spartan, Cortland or Vista Bella maybe?
Terry
E. Wa. zone 4
Thanks Pam.
Margaret, didn't someone mention having difficulty with Raintree? I vaguely
remember a thread about them last year, I think?
Does anyone know anything about AppleKrisp in Vernal, UT? They appear to
have a nice selection.
Terry
E. WA. zone 4
Red Delicious are still big up here. They are juicy, crispy and very flavourful
if you get good ones (like ALL apples). When I pick red delicious in the store
I look for firm/hard ones with yellowy stripes in the skin. This seems to be an
indication of juicyness and flavour - it hasn't failed me yet. I actually avoid
the ones that are completely red. They tend to lack in flavour.
Macs are the ones that are dying off up here. They don't store well at all. In
fact, they ripen early enough in the season that we are trying to store them in
35+C weather which is next to impossible. About the only thing I found them
good for (I used to have a tree in my yard in BC) was cooking and juice and even
then the juice tended to be very bland.
Yes the NZ and Oz apples tend to be better during summer months, but anyone who
says you can't get awful apples from there is wrong too, I've had them.
Brenda in Lethbridge
Terry King wrote:
> I stopped by one of the local orchards one day last week. They had 22
> varieties of apples. I need to go back and fill a mixed bag with all kinds
to do
> a taste test!
- tasting them all at the smae time is not a fair comparing because some of
them may be over the main season they are to be used , while other still
need some more time before they are on top ..
and then: I do not like Red Delicious taste at all .. I am among those whoe
love Granny SMith .. hard , juicy and NOY too sweet.
Arnhild applegrower :) - happy finished picking today
> Macs are the ones that are dying off up here.
As I remember, we ate as many Macs as we could while they were crisp and
then made lots of applesauce. It needs sugar, where some appples don't.
The best thing about Macs is that they were (are?) the first ripe apple of
the season.
And I vote with yes for home-grown delicious.
Esther
who had to interupt her mail reading to go check out a bird migration. The
trees for as far as I can see are full of very loud birds. Maybe starlings.
Heading southish. Cool.
