Is there anything
more reliable than an apple? Apples travel with ease, can
be eaten on the fly and are wonderfully healthy--an average
pomme has 5 grams of fiber, 80 calories and no fat. There
are about 7,500 kinds of apple; here we bite into some unusual
local varieties.
1.JONATHAN
$1.69 FOR ORGANIC WASHINGTON APPLES AT FOOD FRONT,
2375 NW THURMAN ST.
This is the Madonna of apples--spicy, charismatic and a
Midwestern favorite. Believed to be the offspring of Esopus
Spitzenberg, an antique fruit of the highest quality, the
Jonathan was discovered in Woodstock, N.Y., and is in season
from September through February. These smallish reds are
super crisp and have an excellent sweet-tart balance. And,
being the overachiever that it is, the Jonathan holds its
shape and true flavor when used in cooking.
2.RED GRAVENSTEiN
$.25 APIECE FROM BITTERSWEET FARM AT THE PORTLAND FARMERS
MARKET
These West Coast beauties have a short fall season that
you'll want to take full advantage of. More apples should
be like Gravensteins--that is, possessing an extremely persistent
flavor. The crunchy red Gravensteins I sampled were as tart
as lemons. One bite and the interior of my mouth puckered
back and forth 18 times over. Eating one is a bit of a test--it's
so sour, but so good you can't stop.
3.RED DELICIOUS
$1.79 PER POUND AT NATURE'S FRESH NORTHWEST,VARIOUS
LOCATIONS
God knows why, but of the approximately 100 apple varieties
grown in the United States, red delicious is the most popular.
Usually the apple with five bottom bumps is crimson, carries
a half-inch-thick layer of wax and tastes like caramelized
mush. I had a few dozen good ones growing up in New England,
where apples seem to be more formidable through and through,
so I decided to give an organic delish a chance. Disappointed
again. It sported a more mellow shade than the school-lunch
staples and it wasn't caked with paraffin, but it was still
sickeningly sweet and mealy.
4.AKANE
$1.79 PER POUND AT NATURE'S FRESH
NORTHWEST
Ah, akane (ah-kah-nee). Its flesh is whiter than Britney
Spears' teeth, and a hell of a lot more appealing. It crackles
like a comic-book action noise (Snap!) and tastes like a
Sour Patch Kid minus the gross aftertaste. The akane is
firm but not wooden and truly the best of the bushel.
5. JONAGOLD
$1.49 PER POUND AT ZUPAN'S, VARIOUS LOCATIONS
Everything about the Jonagold is exaggerated. It's the
size of a grapefruit, gorgeously variegated in red and yellow
and blissfully bracing. The Jonagold has a short shelf life
so consume quickly. They are good in salads and fine for
baking as well as munching hand to mouth, but don't try
to eat these without a knife--too unwieldy.
6.EARLY GOLD
$1.59 FROM FOOD FRONT, 2375 NW
THURMAN ST.
Apple connoisseurs are always a bit leery of the yellow
ones, for neither their taste nor their texture habitually
possesses much vigor. Golden delicious are a decent fallback
when the Granny Smiths are too tough and Braeburns are nowhere
to be found, but you wouldn't necessarily seek them out.
The pale Early Gold, however, is an unexpected delight.
It's not overly crisp, but it's firm enough and it tastes
subtlely sweet. Enjoy its short season while you can.
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Willamette Week | originally
published October 6,
1999
|
