Apple Glossary

Apples come in many varieties and each is uniquely different in its own way. Below is a list of some apple varieties along with their recommended applications (sweet enough to eat, suitable for baking and freezable). Don’t forget to visit the farm to pick your favorite type in season.

Need more information about apples and/or apple farming in Ontario? Visit Ontario Apple Growers at www.onapples.com

August

Tydeman apples are a cross between two great dessert apples, the Worcester Pearmain and the Red McIntosh. It is deep scarlet with dark red streaks and excellent for sauces.

Wealthy Apples

August

The wealthy is a medium to large size apple with a greenish-yellow and red skin with a white to cream colored flesh. This apple is crisp with a tart flavor. Wealthy apples are excellent for eating, baking, freezing, sauces, pies, juice and cider.

Sunrise

September

Crisp and juicy, Sunrise apples are most similar to honeycrisp. A favourite with children, this apple picks in late August just in time for school lunches. Keeps well in the fridge for up to a month. Colours are red and yellow, just like a sunrise!

Ginger Gold

August

Ginger golds are one of the earliest local fresh apple available in the fall! The greenish-gold skin of the Ginger Gold apple encase a crisp texture and sweet, but mildly tart taste. They are perfect for a snack and they don’t discolour when cut, making them a natural for salads, slices and garnishes! Ginger golds are a wonderful multi-purpose cooking and baking apple that holds their shape when cooked.

McIntosh

September

This beautiful red apple is juicy and sweet with a tart tang. Its tender, white flesh make it perfect for eating, sauces, salads and pies.

Spartan

September

The Spartan, which is a cross between the McIntosh and the Newtown is a small sweet apple, and a great favourite with children. It is very much a “McIntosh” style apple with bright crimson skin and whiter-than-white flesh. A very crisp and juicy apple that is perfect for snacking, baking and applesauce.

Gala Apples

September

Gala apples are can be identified by their distinctive yellow-orange skin with red striping. Their mild flavour, juciness and smaller size make them perfect for snacking, salads, baking and applesauce. A favourite of children!

Cortland

September

The Cortland is a medium sized red apple with white flesh similar to McIntosh. This sweet, juicy multi-purpose apple is excellent for eating, salds, sauces, pies, baking and freezing. Cortland apples are wonderful for kabobs, fruit plates and garnishes because they don’t turn brown quickly when cut.

Empire

September

This shiny red apple’s parents are the classic Red Delicious and McIntosh. It is a sweet a sweet apple with a crisp texture and bright white flesh. does not bruise easily. It is excellent for eating, salads, sauces, baking, pies and freezing. Small Empires are great for school lunches, as kids love Empire’s sweet-tart taste, super crunchy texture and they do not bruise easily.

Honeycrisp

September

This large apple with its cream coloured flesh is known for its exceptionally crisp and juicy texture. It has a slightly tart taste and is excellent for eating, salads and cooking. The honeycrisp can be stored up to 12 weeks in the refrigerator!

Creston

October

Creston are similar to Jonagold, but with greater firmness and storage quality and are picked typically just before Red Delicious. Crestons are reddish in colour with yellow flesh and have good resistance to browning. They are sweet and juicy with low acid and consequently are excellent for eating.

Red Delicious

October

These red apples with their crisp, yellow flesh are sweet, juicy and mild and best suited for eating and salads.

Golden Delicious

October

Golden Delicious has firm, white flesh and sweet crisp flavor. It is the preferred “all purpose” cooking apple since it retains its shape and rich, mellow flavor when baked or cooked. Golden Delicious is very good in fresh salads and freezes well. Cooking tip: You can cut down the sugar in pies and sauces made from Golden Delicious apples.

Northern Spy

October

A large, red apple with slightly yellowish flesh is very crisp and juicy. They are wonderful dessert apples and perfect for baking and cider. Northern spys are an excellent apple for storage.

Jonagold

October

Jonagold is a mix between tart Jonathan and mellow Golden Delicious apples, offering a unique tangy-sweet flavor with firm flesh. Jonagold is excellent both for eating, salads, baking and freezing. Try making fried apples with jonagolds! Just saute some butter and add a little cinnamon. No sugar necessary!

Russet

October

The apple varieties in this group all have skin that is covered partially or completely with russeting. Though not the most pretty to look at, their flavor more than makes up for their looks. Their flavor ranges from sweet-tart to very sweet to pear-like.

Mutsu

October

Mutsu, also called Crispin, is sweet, firm, juicy and crisp. They are excellent for eating, sauces, baking and freezing .

Fuji

October

The crisp fuji apple is a sweet, juicy apple whose colour ranges from yellow-green with red highlights to very red. It was bred from a cross between Red Delicious and Ralls Janet varieties in Japan. It is excellent for eating, baking and apple sauce.