Jonathan + Golden Delicious = Jonagold (at least sometimes, see below).
 |
The fruit is is medium large, round and regular with slight ribbing. Its skin is a light yellow-green (not gold) spotted with darker green lenticels.
An orangish-red blush, streaky in places, covers about half the surface; there the lenticels appear light tan. The unbroken apple smells mellow and sweet, very like I remember a Golden Delicious.
(My apple also has small patches of tiny black stipples. At some point I will find out what that is. In any case it does not put me off in the least when I see it, which is often.)
The flesh is very juicy, also crisp, firm, yellow, and coarse-grained. The apple is evenly sweet and mellow with some acidity but only a little balancing tartness.
The flavor, like the smell, reminds me of Golden Delicious (but more lively, and the texture is better), though it has been years since I sampled one. A little pear, perhaps, and honey.
Jonagold is one of several Jonathan - Golden Delicious crosses. It has a reputation for being good for cooking, especially sauteeing, and also as a poor keeper.
It will be interesting to compare this apple with the Blushing Golden, a different child of the same parents that is said to improve with age. (Update: You can finally do that if you like.)
If you've read my other reviews you might you might guess that this sort of apple—sweet and simple—is not really to my taste. Indeed with so many more-interesting apples from which to choose, I don't suppose I'll eat many of these or regret not doing so.
But it's a refreshing apple in season that should please many. I enjoyed mine.
My wife tried a Jonagold today. The texture of the apple was soft. The flavor she described as crisp and clean with a hint of citrus. She stated it was fairly balanced between sweet and tart but was leaning on the sweet side. Appears to be not a great keeping apple.
ReplyDeleteBlushing Golden, Jonagold's sibling, a superb keeper however!
ReplyDeleteI had an excellent one just a few days ago.
Over the last two weeks I bought some excellent Jonathans that showed up in the local supermarket from somewhere. All gone now, but there were some Jonagolds, and I was curious just how much of the Jonathan taste made it into the Jonagolds. Not much; tasted mostly like Golden Delicious. I've eaten plenty of Jonagolds in the past, but after the great Jonathans I had over the last two weeks, I'm much more aware of how disappointing Jonagold can be.
ReplyDeleteThe Jonathan's have been particularly good this year.
DeleteI agree there's not a whole of of complexity to Jonagold, but when they are good they have a great cheerful crunch (courtesy, in part, of the Jonathan parent apple).
Blushing Golden is really good, especially after a month or so off the tree.
One thing I like about your blog is that it gives me an opportunity to complain about apples to people who care. We've had lots of nice Gravensteins here on the Olympic Peninsula this year but I was starting to get tired of buying them every week when I went to Sunny Farms. Cosmic Crisp isn't in yet, Ginger Gold isn't thrilling, and Gala is downright boring. Oh, look, some Jonagold! So I bought a half dozen. I had forgotten just how boring Jonagold can be. I would have been better off with the Galas.
ReplyDeleteThe grievance department is OPEN!
DeleteI think JGold might be a good pick for Honeycrispers seeking more flavor. (Or different. Or any.)
Delete