Looks nice, doesn't it!
These are big Apples, in fact I think they're the biggest eating Apples that I've ever seen.
A cross between the American 'Jonathan' and the old favourite 'Golden Delicious', it's an Apple that can certainly hold its own.
I'm always on the look-out for the perfect Apple tree, but this ISN'T it. It has nothing like the flavour of a Cox, although it has good texture, and a pleasant slightly acidic flavour.
I don't regret planting it for one moment, but I'd only give it 6 out of 10. I shall be interested to see how long they last in storage. By the way it looks at present, I suspect not too long.
My advice: Stick with the old favourites; Cox, Grannies, Braeburn, etc. For the birth of my latest grandson (Micha) I planted a Royal Gala; I'll have to wait a bit for its verdict.
That does look good
ReplyDeleteIf only 'looks' meant quality! My search for the perfect apple continues.
DeleteBraeburns for pie but Honeycrisp for eating! The juice runs down your chin. Also Pink Lady - second favourite. We live in apple heaven.
ReplyDeleteI tried to buy a Pink Lady tree last year, but they were available only to big growers. Maybe this year they'll be available to anyone. I tried to buy a tree after having tasted the fruit from a supermarket; delicious.
DeleteApple looks good. By seeing the texture we can't say about the taste of it:)
ReplyDeleteThey also seem very susceptible to bugs; almost every fruit has one in it.
DeleteOh I have such HUGE apple jealously right now. Our apple trees just gave up this year, lost leaves, gave us only tiny fruit. We need new ones for sure. I'll just keep visiting your blog and sighing with envy if that's ok.
ReplyDeleteWe have quantity over quality this year. All our trees are weighed down with fruit, but the flavour seems to have suffered.
DeleteSo many apples look wonderful but then disappoint with taste.
ReplyDeleteOne finds much better Apples in Blighty. France is more suited to Pears and Peaches.
DeleteI don't like fruits, only vegetables, so i shall never know what is the perfect one for me.
ReplyDeleteThat surprises me, I eat at least two different fruits a day. I love them.
DeleteIt's very early Cro. Jonagold isn't picked until late october here and then keeps very well. We are having a bad grub year with all our apples I'm afraid. Most of our sunsets (early cox-type) are grubby.
ReplyDeleteI looked-up when to harvest in this area, and it said late September. But they've been falling for weeks, and there are now hardly any left on the tree. My Bramleys are filled with grubs, but my main eater (reine de rennette) is OK. Each year is different.
DeleteI have to say our cookers have been falling and had to be picked very early. I suspect we have not had enough rain.
DeleteJust the same here!
DeleteTom's preference are Russets, he is an apple person I am not.
ReplyDeleteBriony
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I love Russets too; they do occasionally appear here. I think it's the colour that puts people off.
DeleteRoyal Gala are my favourite but it is hard to find really nice ones. Our commercially grown apples are usually rubbish.
ReplyDeleteWhat do commercial growers do to their fruit and veg'? They can manage to make anything taste 'tasteless'.
DeleteThe answer to that, Cro, is that they are stored in massive warehouses in inert gas and then transported across the world. In order to keep them available all year round even British growers probably do the same. At the end of the old season one could buy stored apples for next to nothing in New Zealand. The only thing they were really any good for was cooking. Ironically, though surrounded by orchards as I was in Hawkes Bay in general and The Cottage in particular, I hardly ever eat apples.
DeleteYes, I believe it's a very nasty gas too. Where I was born in Surrey there was a huge Apple 'warehouse', as well as a Ffyfes Banana ripening place. I expect they both used those nasty gasses.
DeleteYou can tell if an apple is any good by quartering it and leaving the pieces to turn brown. The quicker they turn brown the more natural. The apple that stays white is a fraud.
ReplyDeleteI used to have a neighbour who said he'd never eat an apple if it didn't have a worm living inside. It's a sure sign that an apple hasn't been sprayed with poisons, but I thought he was a tad extreme.
DeleteJazz are nice but I don't know if they would live up to your high expectations !!! I guess it's like everything ..... you search until you find perfection ! ... just like my husband finding me !!!!!!!!!!!! Haha !!! XXXX
ReplyDeleteMaybe there should be an Apple called Mr Jacqueline's Delight.
DeleteApples are grown in Ceres in the Cape and the best are exported. I love Golden Delicious and Pink Lady. Your apple looks good but I also wonder how long it will last...
ReplyDeletePink Lady (or Pink Kiss) is the one I shall try to buy this winter. They have a really beautiful flavour.
DeleteWe have a lot of apple orchards here. I like Ida reds and honey crisps. The plain old Mac is still pretty good as well. We generally pick are own at the farms.
ReplyDeleteI remember Ida reds; very nice. We don't see them here; unless they're sold under a different name.
DeleteWhen I was a child we had an Ellison's Orange Pippin in our garden - they tasted very similar to Cox;s. I find a lot of today's apples quite tasteless but am not sure how much of this is my fading taste buds.
ReplyDeleteI did have a Cox here, but it succumbed to Honey Fungus. My neighbours also had one which they pulled up in order to make a car park. I still think they're the best there is.
DeleteI wouldn't know one apple from another.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you would if they were lined up in front of you.
DeleteHow many fruit trees have you planted? Quite a few if memory has it.
ReplyDeleteAbout 20 so far here. I shall possibly plant another two this winter.
DeleteMy vote goes to Pink Lady apples. Best by far. Hope you manage to find one for your orchard.
ReplyDeleteYes, I shall definitely try to find one. Alternatively, I shall order one from 'the net'.
Deleteabout to plant a Gala. We can compare notes next year.
ReplyDelete