Monroe *

Monroe is medium-sized, slightly conical, and clearly ribbed. Attractive red blush covering a green-tinged yellow. Many irregular light-brown lenticels. 

My sample has a light dusting of russet, plus black specks, plus other blemishes. It smells of cider.

The light yellow flesh is on the finer side of coarse (if that makes sense) and is more tender than crisp. Flavors: Cider, a brief hit of roasted grain, rich and mellow with moderate sweet-acid balance.

This is not a common variety and I suspect my sample had been off the tree for a few weeks. However I really enjoyed its even flavor.

Monroe looks and to some extent tastes like an old-fashioned apple but was introduced in 1949, one of the hundreds of varieties introduced by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York. It is a cross of Jonathan and Rome Beauty.