How to recognize a delicious apple
You know the feeling: out of the huge pile of apples, you somehow pick the one that turns out to be a nasty floury ball at the first bite instead of the juicy, crisp apple you were craving. Here’s how to avoid that.
Of course, what the ‘tastiest’ apple is depends on your own preferences and the variety you choose. Although there is a clear crowd favorite: Elstar. “If you let 100 people eat different apples, 35 of them will find Elstar the tastiest,” says Wil Sturkenboom of Fruittuin van West in Amsterdam.
But that absolutely doesn’t mean Elstar is always the tastiest apple. That also depends on the season, the picking time, storage capacity, the position in the tree and the time between the cold store and the moment of consumption.
Tips
Okay, but how do you recognize a flavorful apple? Some tips from Wil:
- Summer apples (such as Benoni, Discovery and Lena) and autumn apples (including Delcorf, Red Devil and Cevaal) are best bought from the grower or a good greengrocer.
- Of the storage apples (such as Elstar, Jonagold, Kanzi, Jonagored and Golden Delicious), you can expect them all to be delicious until the end of December. After that, you need to say goodbye to certain varieties each month to make sure you don’t buy a floury ball.
- So don’t think: that variety was delicious last month, so it must be now too (or vice versa). It really varies from month to month.
- You can expect Elstar to taste good until the end of March; after that, it is often no longer delicious because it needs to be kept very well chilled to preserve its flavor.
- Pressing an apple to feel whether it is hard or soft? Don’t! A hard apple doesn’t necessarily taste better. In fact: a limp Elstar in May is preferable to a hard one.
- On sale? That can mean the apples are exactly right now, but won’t be in two days. Or it may simply mean the seller needs to get rid of the batch.
- A good relationship with your greengrocer can help enormously. Ask for a piece of apple and you’ll have your answer.
- Want to know how long each apple variety is best eaten? This site has the answer.
Delicious, apple straight from the tree. But which apple do you use for the ultimate apple pie, applesauce or apple juice? Read it here. And remember: a good relationship with your greengrocer prevents a lot of misery.
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