FoodFood InformationFruitDeciduous
Botanically, apples are members of the rose family and are related to
pears and quince. They are grown in the temperate latitudes of all continents.
In North America, the northern half of the United States and the neighboring
areas of Canada are apple country. The only southern states that produce
fair-sized apple crops are Virginia and North Carolina, and even here apples
are grown only in the cooler, higher altitudes.
Apples are now available twelve months of the year. However, as late as
the early 1900s, apples were not in season during the summer months. They
were harvested in the fall and stored in cool areas. By late spring they
were long in the tooth and would start to get soft and eventually decay.
As better methods of refrigeration came into use, the apples were put in
cold storage and had a longer shelf life. At the end of World War I, we
started to bring in some from the Southern Hemisphere, where the seasons
are the reverse of ours. The big breakthrough in extending the apple season
occurred in the 1940s at the Cornell University Agricultural College, when
experiments with controlled atmosphere storage proved successful. Thanks
to the CA process, fine, crisp apples are now available year-round.
While there are hundreds of documented varieties of apples, only about a
dozen are grown commercially on a large scale. The top four varieties in
the United States are the Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Mclntosh, and
Rome Beauty, all of which are old standbys. The Granny Smith, a relative
new comer, is rapidly gaining popularity. The Red Delicious accounts for
more than 40 percent of the total tonnage of apples produced in the United
States.
Unlike some of the other fresh fruits that hit flavor peak when they reach
full ripeness, a ripe apple is worthless. A mature apple is soft, mealy,
and dry. The ideal apple is one that is crisp, crunchy, and juicy. So select
very firm, colorful, unbruised apples. The medium-sized fruit is usually
the best buy. Even though larger apples often sell for more money, they
are more prone to bruises and are less apt to be as firm as the medium-sized
ones. However, undersized apples (less than 2 1/4 inches in diameter) are
often too woody.
Unlike the rest of the deciduous fruits, apples are at flavor peak when
just picked from the tree. They should always be kept under refrigeration
and never (even in a fruit bowl) at room temperature. An apple that is allowed
to get mellow loses the desired crunch and juicy flavor.
WHEN TO BUY: At peak October through June
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Very firm, colorful, unbruised fruit
HOW TO STORE: Refrigerate immediately