" No mortal has ever enjoyed the perfect flavor of any fruit ..." -Henry David Thoreau Apple Tips

By some estimates there may be over 10,000 different apple varieties. Apples have been in cultivation for centuries and new varieties have continually arisen or been developed. Modern supermarket shoppers sometimes struggle with the 7 or 10 varieties typically offered, and wind up getting in a rut of buying mediocre apples. This is a real shame, since there is so much to explore and enjoy. These simple guidelines can help.

• Buy in Season
  Modern refrigeration has caused one unintended and unfortunate consequence, that being that the average urban consumer has lost a sense of season. Everything looks good on the shelf, everything is available at any time in any area, and it is easy to forget that fruit is seasonal and is actually being grown somewhere. All fruit has an optimum season when flavor, freshness and nutritional value are at their peak.

• Buy Locally
  Shipping and storage both can have adverse effects on fruit quality, even under the best of circumstances. Every region has its own distinctive varieties, and a visit to the orchard will help you discover which ones are best in your area. When you buy local produce there are many benefits. Local growers are a great source for suggestions, recipes and harvest information. Supporting local growers helps preserve family farms. Strong local agriculture is a check on sprawl. Buying locally is the best way to be sure you are putting the most nutritious food on your table. Buying fruit at the orchard is a lot more fun than pushing a shopping cart.

• Be Adventurous
  Don't be afraid to experiment. You have nothing to lose but boredom. Try some new varieties. You may not like them all, but you are sure to make some new discoveries that will become life-long favorites.

• Keep Apples Cool
  Apples continue to ripen after they have been picked. Keeping them cool retards this process. Never leave apples out at room temperature. Nothing can ruin an apple's flavor more than letting it sit out at room temperature.

“Why do we need so many kinds of apples? Because there are so many folks. A person has a right to gratify his legitimate tastes. If he wants twenty or forty kinds of apples for his personal use, running from Early Harvest to Roxbury Russet, he should be accorded the privilege. Some place should be provided where he may obtain trees or scions. There is merit in variety itself. It provides more points of contact with life, and leads away from uniformity and monotony”

-Liberty Hyde Bailey from The Apple Tree (1922)

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