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According to information on the Washington State University website, more than 700 varieties of apple trees were available from commercial nurseries just over 100 years ago. Today, there are generally fewer than 50, many of which have been hybridized for reasons other than flavor--appearance, size, hardiness in shipping, and longevity of storage, for example. As a result, many of the commercially available varieties are not the most flavorful, and, in fact, are often considered to be quite bland-tasting when compared with some of the heirloom varieties. While there are approximately 7,500 varieties of apples available world-wide, commercial production is limited to just a few. About 90% of our annual harvest consists of just around 15 varieties.
Fortunately, many growers and apple enthusiasts have undertaken a movement to preserve and propagate hundreds of varieties of heirloom apples. While these heritage apples are often smaller in size, do not last as long in storage, and are often far less attractive by today's standards than commercially available apples, they offer a range of flavors, colors, fragrances, and textures that demonstrate how deliciously unique each variety of apple can be. Their names, too, can be as appealing as the apples themselves--Black Oxford, Blue Pearmain, Canadian Strawberry, Moses Wood, and Winthrop Greening, to name a few. Unlike many of the all-purpose apples available today, heirloom apples were (and continue to be) grown for a specific purpose, such as baking or for making preserves or cider.
In a curious botanical twist, if you take the seeds from your favorite apple and plant them, you will end up with an apple tree--but it will be a totally different variety than the favorite you had hoped to reproduce. Propagation of particular varieties of apples involves grafting, in which a scion (or a piece of a branch) is attached to a compatible rootstock. The process requires both time and patience, as the tree won't bear fruit for at least the first four or five years. Soil, sun, and climate will also have an impact on the apples. Although the varieties may be the same, the fruit of an apple tree grown in Michigan may differ in flavor from one grown in Washington because of the difference in growing conditions.
Some of the most popular and widely available apple varieties today include:
Red Delicious
Now America's most popular apple, the Red Delicious started out as an unwanted volunteer in Jesse Hiatt's Iowa orchard. He chopped the seedling down for two years in a row, and when it came back the third year, Hiatt decided to allow it to grow. He nurtured it for the next ten years, yielding an apple with a unique oblong shape, five distinctive bumps on the bottom, and a sweet, "delicious" flavor. Apple experts say that because this variety has been bred with a focus on crunch, durability and shelf life for several decades, today's Red Delicious apples bear little resemblance in flavor to the sweetness that was so pronounced in Hiatt's apples. However, they are still the top-selling apple, often enjoyed on their own as a snack or sliced for use in fruit or green salads. Red Delicious apples are not recommended for baking.
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Golden Delicious
Golden Delicious is America's second-favorite variety. This all-purpose apple offers a sweet, mellow flavor that makes it a popular choice for eating raw, or for use in salads, applesauce, and baked goods. Its skin is both thin and tender, which means that for most recipes, these apples don't need to be peeled. Goldens can also be sliced and frozen successfully for later use.
Gala
Originating in New Zealand, this crisp, sweet, aromatic variety has become very popular with consumers in the past 15 years. In fact, it's now one of our top five favorites. Galas are used primarily for snacking and salads, although they can also be used for pies, baking, and sauces.
Fuji
Today, United States apple growers harvest more Fuji apples than the country in which it originated--Japan. The Fuji gains in popularity every year, because of its extra sweetness, firm texture, and ability to hold its shape and texture when baked. Fujis are an excellent choice for salads, but they can also be used for baking and sauces. If you're watching your sugar consumption, you may want to choose this variety. It's so naturally sweet, you can often get by with little or no added sugar in your baked goods.
Granny Smith
The two signature properties of the Granny Smith apple are its color--vibrant green--and its extreme tartness. Named for Maria Ann Smith, the Australian grandmother who cultivated it, the Granny Smith rounds out the list of our top five favorites. These apples are widely used for snacking, apple sauces, salads, baking, and pies. They freeze well.
Braeburn
Another apple from New Zealand, the Braeburn offers a sweet-tart flavor with a firm texture. It's a great snacking apple, and it can also be used successfully in baking and other recipes.
Jonagold
A cross between Golden Delicious and Jonathan apples, the tangy-sweet flavor of the Jonagold makes a darn tasty pie. It's also a great addition to baked goods and salads.
Cameo
Described as a sweet, crunchy, "zingy" apple, this is a multi-purpose variety, although Cameos would not be the first choice for baking.
McIntosh
The McIntosh is the most popular variety of apple in New England, especially good for cooking because of its distinctive aroma and spicy flavor.
Empire
The Empire exhibits features from each of its parents--the McIntosh and Red Delicious--but fans of this apple consider it to be better than either of its ancestors. It's a good choice for eating and cooking, as well as for juice or cider.
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Honeycrisp
This variety originated in Minnesota, and its exceptionally crisp texture and juiciness have resulted in a great consumer following over the past couple of years, especially as a snacking apple. Sadly, it would appear that the Honeycrisp has a rogue parent in its family tree. It has always been said to be a cross between a Honeygold and a Macoun, but genetic testing undertaken by the University of Minnesota has revealed that actually, neither was a parent. Keepsake, another apple from the University of Minnesota's apple breeding program, is now known to be one of the parents, but the other has not been identified, and may never be known.
Cortland
This is a popular apple for salads, because its white flesh is slow to brown. It's also an excellent choice for cooking, baking, and making juice or cider.
Rome
The slightly juicy flesh and mild flavor of the Rome apple becomes more rich as it's baked or sautéed, which makes it a favorite in many baked goods...but not usually in pies.
Gravenstein
Every region seems to have its favorite--and in northern California, it's the Gravenstein. This apple has a thin, tender skin and firm, crisp, juicy, tart flesh, and is beloved in pies, sauce and juice, as well as for eating fresh.
Jonathan
Remember those pies Grandma used to make? It may well have been Jonathan apples she used in the recipe. Widely recognized as one of the best dessert and pie apples, Jonathans are also a good choice for cooking and cider-making.
Lady
The Lady apple (not to be confused with the Pink Lady variety) is a very small apple, somewhat flat in shape, that originated in France in the 1600's. It was one of the first varieties to be brought here from Europe. Because American colonists traditionally used this variety in Christmas decorations and stockings, it's also known as the Christmas Apple. The Lady is highly aromatic, and because much of its fragrance and effervescent flavor is in its skin, these apples should not be peeled. Lady apples also make an excellent cider.
Spicing Up Your Apples!
An Apple A Day
Choosing the Right Apple
Apples At Every Meal!
Storing Apples
The MANY Varieties of Apple!
Fun Apple Facts
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