How to Choose from Different Apple Varieties
Best Types of Apples for Eating, Baking, Pies, Salads & Apple Sauce
Oct 4, 2009
Apples, or Pyrus malus, are a member of the rose family. They have been cultivated for over 3,000 years and appeared on the menus of the ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians.
A cool weather fruit, the availability of all types of apples has expanded to year-round as they are now grown in southern hemisphere countries like New Zealand and Chile where the seasons are opposite to those in North America.
How to Buy All Types of Apples
Select apples that are firm, without blemishes, wrinkles or bruises. Apples will not ripen if picked prematurely but mature apples will ripen further at home.
How to Store Apples
To hasten the ripening process, punch holes in a brown paper bag and store apples inside at room temperature. The ethylene gas they emit also causes other fruits to ripen quickly, so store apples separately. Refrigerated apples will keep much longer – up to several weeks – stored in plastic in the crisper drawer.
Wash apples just before using. Core an apple before removing the skin – it is easier to handle. Exposed apple flesh turns brown quickly, so sprinkle with lemon juice to retard this process.
Apple Nutrition
Apples are a good source of Vitamin C and fibre. One average apple contains about 80 calories.
Best Types of Apples for Eating
Though taste is subjective, these types of apples are the most popular types for eating fresh out of hand. Choices are listed alphabetically under each category.
- First choices: Baldwin, Granny Smith, Jonathan, McIntosh, Stayman
- Second choices: Empire, Fuji, Gala,
- Third choices: Golden Delicious, Russet, Spartan
Best Varieties of Apples for Pies
These types of apples hold their shape when exposed to high heat better than other apples and their flesh doesn’t turn mushy.
- First choices: Baldwin, Jonathan, Northern Spy, Rhode Island Greening, Rome
- Second choices: Cortland, Crispin, Empire, Golden Delicious, Spartan
- Third choice: Russet
Best Types of Apple for Baking
These types are well-suited to making whole baked apples.
- Granny Smith, Northern Spy, Rome
Best Apple Varieties for Apple Sauce
- First choice: Cortland, Granny Smith, Jonathan, McIntosh
- Second choices: Crispin, Empire, Russet
- Third choice: Golden Delicious
Best Types of Apples for Salads and Fruit Plates
The raw flesh on these apples resists browning better than other varieties.
- Best choices: Baldwin, Cortland, Granny Smith, Red Delicious
Best Types of Apple for Cider
- Baldwin, McIntosh, Northern Spy, Russet
Easy Recipe for Cinnamon Red Wine Poached Apples
Make this simple and elegant fall or winter recipe using Granny Smith, Northern Spy or Rome apples.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups good quality dry red wine
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Two medium apples, peeled, cored, halved and sprinkled with 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- Vanilla ice cream (optional)
- Chopped walnuts or pecans for topping
Directions:
- To a low, wide saucepan, add wine, honey, cinnamon sticks and lemon juice.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Add apples and reduce heat to low. Partially cover the pan and let simmer for about 15 minutes, while occasionally ladling sauce over apples.
- Let the apples cool in the sauce to room temperature. Discard cinnamon sticks.Place one apple half in a dessert bowl. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired, and/or sauce and a sprinkle of chopped walnuts or pecans.Makes 4 portions.
Resource Credits
This article was researched using The Cook's Book by Howard Hillman and information from Foodland Ontario, a government of Ontario agency.
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