Apples

There are thousands of varieties of apples in every types, shade of yellow, gold, red, green, ranging from sweet to tart and mealy to crisp. Unfortunately, as is often the case, growers have concentrated on just a few these are among the least interesting; probably the best of the widely grown varieties are McIntosh (even thats become very hard to find) and Golden Delicious. Of course, you'll find the most variety and most interesting apples at local orchards in the fall. And the good news is many apples will keep for weeks in a cool, dry spot, like a garage or basement.

In general apples are divided into three categories; eating, cooking, and all purpose. The chart lists some of the most common and some not-so-common but worth seeking - apples with notes on flavor and texture, and category.


Buying and storing:
All apples should be firm and heavy for their size; avoid any with soft spots. Those that ate less than perfectly firm are best suited for cooking. Store in a cool, dry place, or in the refrigerator for weeks, though some keep better than others. Almost all apple are harvested in the late summer and fall, but wholesalers keep the fruit in reduced-oxygen storage, where they remain in reasonably decent shape for months. But they deteriorate quickly when removed from these special storage conditions, so use apples quickly in winter and spring.

Preparing:
Rinse and take a bite or peel and cut. For peeling, start at the stem or flower end and work in latitudinal strips or around the circumference; a U-shaped peeler is best.
For coring, you have several options. You can remove the core and leave the apple whole by digging into the stem end with a sturdy melon baller and removing it; this leaves the blossom end intact, a nice presentation for baked apples. Or you can buy a slicer-corer, which will cut the apple into six or eight slices around the core in one swift motion. Finally, you can quarter the apple and dig out each piece of the core with a pairing knife.

Apples brown quickly once peeled or cut; to prevent browning, drop them into acidulated water (one part lemon juice to about ten parts water) or white wine or toss with lemon or lime juice.

Other fruit to substitute : Pears

Check out few of my Apple recipes..

Apple Crumble

Apple Marzipan Galette

Creamy Apple Pumpkin Soup

Apple Strudel (DB's)

French Apple Flan

Frozen Apple Yogurt

Apple Jam