It's Crunch Time!

Here’s a guide to the many apple varieties found in the Hudson Valley

 

vvvita/Fotolia

 

Name

Harvest

Flavor

Consistency

Uses

Location

Paulared

Mid to late August

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Sweet

Crisp

Eaten fresh-picked, applesauce, and apple butter

Salinger’s, Fishkill Farms, Samascott, Barton, Soons Orchards

Ginger Gold Mid to late August

Relatively mild, sharper than Golden Delicious

Finely textured and crisp

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 Wonderful in salads, as it doesn’t brown up as quickly as most apples

Salinger’s, Samascott, Barton, Soons Orchards, Pennings, Hurds

 
Akane Mid to late August Sweet and Sharp

Firm and juicy

Perfect fresh off the tree or served in a fall gratin

Samascott, Soons Orchards

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Jersey Mac Mid to late August Tart

Crisp and juicy

This crowd-pleaser is great fresh, but also is nice for pies and applesauce

Samascott

Zestar Mid to late August Sweet-tart with a hint of brown sugar

Crunchy and hardy

Great eaten fresh (though it keeps well in the fridge for a couple months!) or used in cooking

Wilkens (market only), Soons Orchards, Barton, Montgomery Place

Jonamac

Early to mid September

This Jonathan/McIntosh hybrid is a bit sweeter than the Mac, with notes of cinnamon and nutmeg

 Firm and crisp

Great for eating as-is, for lunchboxes, and for making cider

Wilkens (market only), Salinger’s, Fishkill Farms, Philip Orchards, Lawrence Farms, Barton, Soons Orchards, Hurds, Pennings, Indian Ladder

 
Rhode Island
Greening

Early to mid September

Sharp, with plenty of acidity (though sweeter when cooked)

Hard and uncompromising

Keeps for a long time in cold storage, making it great in pies—just be sure to add plenty of sugar and spice

Wilkens (market only), Philips, Barton, Soons Orchards,  Montgomery Place

 
McIntosh

Early to mid September

Sweet, aromatic, and just a bit tart

Very juicy

A tangy, fresh treat eaten out of hand, or in a salad with nuts

All orchards

Honeycrisp

Early to mid September

Sweet with just the right amount of tartness (a kid favorite, for sure!)

Uber-crunchy 

Excellent for snacking, cooking, and baking

Lawrence Farms, Pennings Orchards, Apple Dave’s, Soons Orchards,  Montgomery Place, Philips,  Hurds, Jenkins-Lueken, Goold (store only), Indian Ladder

Cortland

Early to mid September

Sweet but a little tart, too

Tender and juicy

Perfect fresh or in a baked-apple recipe, with crunchy oats and brown sugar

All orchards

Gala

Early to mid September

Mildly sweet

Has a crisp flesh, but a creamy interior

Best eaten fresh from the tree or sliced with a drizzle of caramel

Salinger’s, Wilkens,  Philip, Lawrence Farms, Barton, Apple Dave’s, Soons Orchards, Montgomery Place, Pennings, Hurds, Jenkins-Lueken, Indian Ladder

  Pink Pearl

Early to mid September

Sweet-tart, but way better than candy

Crisp and juicy

 California pink-fleshed variety also makes pink applesauce 

Montgomery Place

  Jonathan

Early to mid September

Simultaneously sweet and sharp

Tough-skinned, but smooth eating after the first bite

 Served fresh in salads with cheese or cooked and pureed into root-vegetable soups

 Philips, Soons Orchards, Montgomery Place

  Arlet
(aka Swiss Gourmet)

Late September

A pleasant balance of sweet and tart

This fine-textured variety has a crisp and juicy finish you want in a fresh apple

Good fresh or turned into apple butter

Samascott, Soons Orchards

Macoun

Late September

Extra-sweet 

Tender-crisp

Eat fresh off the tree or in cheese plates and in salads

 Salinger’s, Wilkens, Fishkill Farms, Lawrence Farms, Barton, Apple Dave’s, Soons Orchards,  Montgomery Place, Pennings,  Hurds, Jenkins-Lueken, Goold (store only), Philp, Indian Ladder

  Spartan

Late September

Sweet-tart

Crunchy, but exceptionally juicy

Great for lunchboxes, also baked in pies, crisps, and turnovers

Philip, Barton

  SnapDragon

Late September

Extra-sweet

Has a monster crunch

Eaten fresh or used to add texture and sweetness to a chicken salad

Samascott, Hurds

Empire

Early to mid October

Wonderfully balanced

Juicy

 Great for cooking, but especially good in baked goods (like pie) or preserved as a sauce

All orchards

Red Delicious

Early to mid October

Sweet

Firm but juicy

Eaten fresh or sliced in a breakfast parfait

Salinger’s, Wilkens, Lawrence Farms, Fishkill Farms, Barton, Apple Dave’s, Soons Orchards, Maskers, Pennings,  Hurds, Jenkins-Lueken, Samascott, Philip, Goold, Indian Ladder

Golden Delicious

Early to mid October

Succulently sweet and fragrant

Crisp

Try it in pies and turnovers or chunked up in a Waldorf salad

Salinger’s, Wilkens, Lawrence Farms, Barton, Apple Dave’s, Soons Orchards,  Maskers, Montgomery Place, Philip, Pennings, Hurds, Jenkins-Lueken, Indian Ladder

Mutsu
(aka Crispin)

Early to mid October

Refreshing; not overly sweet

Extra-crisp, extra-juicy

Bake, batter and fry, or serve with cheese

Salinger’s, Wilkens, Fishkill Farms, Samascott, Maskers, Pennings, Hurds,  Jenkins-Lueken, Goold, Philip, Indian Ladder

Jonagold

Early to mid October

Honey-sweet and guaranteed to make you smile

Crisp and creamy

Fresh or made into hard cider; sauté in butter for a special treat

Salinger’s, Wilkens, Fishkill Farms. Barton, Apple Dave’s, Soons Orchards, Maskers, Pennings, Hurds, Goold (store only)

Ida Red

Early to mid October

Tart enough to make you pucker;  sweet enough to keep you coming back

Firm

This apple holds its shape when baked, but also is great for applesauce

Salinger’s, Wilkens, Fishkill Farms, Barton, Montgomery Place, Maskers, Pennings,  Hurds, Jenkins-Lueken, Philips

  Northern Spy

Early to mid October

Sweet and pleasantly tart

Hard and crunchy with a thin skin

Fabulous for pies as well as cider

Salinger’s, Wilkens (market only), Philip, Soons Orchards,  Montgomery Place, Jenkins-Lueken, Indian Ladder

Rome (aka
Rome Beauty)

Early to mid October

Mildly tart

Crisp and firm

Retains its shape when cooked; fried slices pair well with pork

Philip, Barton, Apple Dave’s, Maskers,  Hurds, Jenkins-Lueken, Indian Ladder

  RubyFrost

Early to mid October

A nice balance of sweet and tart

 Wonderfully crisp

Eating, baking, salads, sauces

 Hurds

  Ashmead’s Kernel

Early to mid October

Spicy-sour

Creamy, with a crisp bite

 Ideal for hard cider and fresh juice

Montgomery Place, Samascott

Braeburn

Early to mid October

 Sweet and slightly tart

Ultra-crisp and juicy

Versatile ingredient for baking in sweet or savory dishes

Salinger’s, Wilkens (market only), Montgomery Place, Pennings

  Elstar

Early to mid October

Rich, but lemony-sharp

Crisp and juicy

Bake in pies and tarts or roast with poultry

 Samascott, Montgomery Place

Fuji

Early to mid October

Candy-sweet

Crisp with a clean snap

Great for sauce or tossed in salads with nuts

Salinger’s, Wilkens, Barton,  Montgomery Place, Pennings,  Hurds, Jenkins-Lueken, Indian Ladder

  Granny Smith

Early to mid October

Sour

Dense, but still juicy and pleasantly crisp

Great fresh, but also a showstopper in pastries because it is so slow to brown

Location: Salinger’s,  Wilkens (market only), Barton,  Montgomery Place, Maskers, Pennings

  Newtown Pippin

Early to mid October

Rich and complex

Hearty and dense

 Ideal for fresh juice or hard cider

Samascott, Soons Orchards,  Montgomery Place

  Calville Blanc

Late October through early November

Spicy

Tender but crunchy: A true crowd pleaser

Nice in tarts and pies

Samascott

  Snow Banana
(aka Winter Banana)

Late October through early November

Honey-sweet and sharp

Course, but relatively soft to the bite

Fresh salads and baked desserts

Wilkens, Samascott

  Cameo

Late October through early November

Mild, with citrus undertones

Crisp

Use fresh on cheese plates and salads or bake in desserts

Barton, Soons Orchards, Montgomery Place, Indian Ladder

Fortune

Late October through early November

Spicy

Crisp

Combine with Golden Delicious for an especially good applesauce

Soons Orchards, Indian Ladder

  Stayman Winesap

Late October through early November

Tangy and complex

Firm, and finely textured

A good “keeper” apple, enjoy fresh or in applesauce, pies, and cider

Fishkill Farms, Pennings

  Pink Lady

Late October through early November

Sweet with a little sharpness

Crunchy

In pies, apple butter, and any cooked apple recipe

Wilkens (market only), Soons Orchards, Montgomery Place, Jenkins-Lueken

 

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