Sunday, November 16, 2008

Mystery Russet

This may be a Golden Russet, as advertised when I bought it. Or it may be something else. (Any theories, anyone?) In any case it is not a representative sample, as I later discovered when I bought a second batch of Golden Russet apples from Red Apple Farm in Phillipston.

That story is here and the true Golden Russet review is here.
My original review follows.

This russet variety runs medium-small, a bit large for this kind of apple. Patches of rusty-brown russet sit atop the Golden Russet's spring-green skin, small continents and archipelagos of vegetation upon some fantastic planetoid.

The russetting does not cover everything but is present in the brown lenticels.

My sample is unfortunately a little mealy, though yet toothsome. It still manages to be reasonably firm. Its flesh is creamy white with yellow highlights and coarse.

The flavor is mellow and sweet, with accents of pear and a little citrus. Its skin is on the chewy side and the finish leaves a lingering spirit of cream soda.

Variously recommended for eating, cooking, and cider, Golden Russet has been grown in New England for two hundred years.

5 comments:

  1. Ashmead's Kernel, my favorite.

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  2. Ashmead's is outstanding, but this apple wasn't. (Read about the real Ashmead's Kernel here.)

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  3. Reinette du Canada ? My mate the apple guru had a quick look and thought it a possibility

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  4. Matty, Thanks! I'll keep that in mind, though it doesn't seem a good match with this description of Reinette du Canada.

    My provisional theory is that this was a mislabeled Roxbury Russet, which this unreliable grower has sold (or purported to) in the past.

    Of course, it could have been a Golden Russet past its prime or otherwise not a good example.

    I've had better examples of both.

    It is unfortunately not unusual for growers to be careless about identifying what they sell.

    Maybe someday I will get to taste an indisputable Reinette du C and see for myself.

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  5. Hi Adam,

    My guess on this one would be on of the following:

    Pumpkin Russet
    Perry Russet

    These are larger russet apples with the color of this apple as shown.

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