Honeycrisp apple
Fall means apple harvest! Washington State is the No. 1 apple grower in the United States and produces over 60% of the apples available for domestic consumption. They are vigorously exported, too. My favorite apple is the Honeycrisp. I got hooked on these several years ago when my niece returned one weekend from Eastern Washington University. She'd stopped at a fruit stand and brought home several enormous apples. They were bigger than softballs -- almost a large as melons! Crisp, juicy and able to feed the entire family, we just marveled at these giants of the orchards. "These were too big to sell in the grocery store, so a fruit stand guy sold them. Two for a dollar." Five pounds of apple for a buck is a good deal, where ever you find them. Then and there I threw over my favorite apple love, the Fuji, for this newcomer. "It's a Honeycrisp," she said. "It's a new apple."
Well, yes, for the consumers of Western Washington. But this was an apple with roots in the Midwest -- Minnesota to be exact. An apple from Minnesota? That might mean a short but intense growing season and plenty of cool autumn nights to put the crisp into it. Of course, the Eastern Washington state climate shares some of those conditions, though quite a bit drier, so it isn't surprising the orchardists there have had success with them, and many other varieties.
Here's a little history of the development of this terrific apple. Every year since then, I've been on the Honeycrisp quest and managed to score plenty from the early fall through Thanksgiving, when they become slightly scarce. Of course I've never seen the behemoth-sized specimens again, just a much more standard size [perfect for store displays, vending machines, and lunch boxes] in every pattern of red and gold you can imagine. They all taste the same, though, and that is simply fantastic!
I picked up a few Monday for $2.49 a pound. Probably too much to spend on an apple when the sale apples [small lunch-box sized Fugis] were going for $0.49 a pound. But such is my addiction, that I have to eat one or two everyday while they are in season. There will be plenty of time the rest of the year to return to my dear Fugis and another favorite of mine, Braeburn. For now, though, I'm faithful to my first love.
If you think the Honeycrisps might appeal to your palette, try one nicely chilled with your favorite rosé and cheese. Makes a wonderful dessert! Check out some recipes for more ideas. Or do as I do, remove from fridge, rinse, core, cut into bite-sized pieces and enjoy! Mmmmmm mmmmm -- good! :D
Thanks for visiting!
Have a delicious day!
For more information: All About Apples
8 comments:
My favorites, and our local growers have been selling them at the farmers' market. I am finding a few of the really big ones (ok, it helps if you live where they are grown).
These are worth looking for, yum.
We don't have this variety in Europe...more's the pity as it sounds wonderful.
There is one nursery in the U.K. preserving all the old varieties of apple and pear, but with the E.U. regulations we are getting more and more restricted when it comes to commercial apple growing. I've friends moving to Missouri...I'll tell them to look out for this.
SQ!! You are so lucky this time of year to be where the best produce is grown!!! I'd love some of those jumbo Honeycrisps!! Melt in your mouth goodness!! Farmers' markets are the BEST! You've got some great ones nearby, too. How long do you think they will be operating this fall? I think the local markets here have shut down until next year. Anyhow, we don't have any nearby, which is frustrating.
Fly!! Thanks for stopping by! I wish you could have just one bite of a Honeycrisp, I think you'd love it! Perhaps someday we will be able to export them. I think regulations will be the end of global commerce for all of us! It's good that the old varieties are being preserved. Heritage seeds are the wave of the future, so to speak.
Your friends moving to Missouri [the Show Me State] will probably be able to find them. There might be areas of Missouri where they can be grown, which would be a fine thing indeed! [Local is always best!] I wish your friends good luck in their move. If they lived in France and are moving to the US, they are in for a slight culture shock. But a shock in a good way, I hope! :D
I just had to go eat some apples after looking at your pretty apples.
Belladona's Joy!! Thanks for stopping by!! I hope your apple snack hit the spot!! :D
Hi SR,
Our farmers' market runs through October. The 31st is the End of Harvest Festival.
SQ!! The harvest festival sounds like a lot of fun! That is wonderfully late in the year for a farmer's market, too. Over here by the end of October all the tents would have been blown down and rained out at least once apiece! I am looking forward to your report on the festival. Summer will truly be finished, though. Thanks for the update! :D
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