Adam's Apples

The Vista Bellas , still going strong this week, are joined at Farmers' Market by a second early apple, the Jersey Mac. Jersey Mac is probably the best-known of the earlies, the name evoking the popular classic McIntosh. Not my favorite, but I picked one up to share here--hey, who loves ya? How Mac-like is this Mac? Well, it's round and red.  There is a moment when you take a bite that you can convince yourself it is going to taste like a McIntosh, though it doesn’t follow through. The texture is a little soft, like a Mac you would still eat but is past its prime. (But, this apple was fresh.)

The first local apple of the year is a surprise and a revelation. By July I am eating apples from Chile and New Zealand, and even they are out of season. Early apples are not usually very good—you wouldn't chose one like them in peak season—-but they are unmistakably New England. The first bite promises delights to come. Today's fruit, a Vista Bella, was the first and only only apple at Farmers Market. There are many types of summer apples, each of which have a short season. I won't be surprised if these are gone next week. Vista Bella is pretty: brilliant green, like a Granny Smith or Pippin, with a deep red blush. The fruit is slightly ribbed, which adds to its overall attractiveness.

"Blog what you love." I have many enthusiasms, but think that blogging about apples will be a fun way to use the web to view the world. My plan is to blog a year of apples, starting with the first local apples that appear in my part of the world, Arlington Massachusetts. Neither a farmer nor a gourmet, I can't promise technical explanations or rarefied flights of fancy. Still, there is a rich variety of apples still available here in New England, including many heirlooms. If you don't know these apples, prepare to be amazed. The first fruit arrived today at the Arlington Farmers' Market. Update: If this is your first visit, then welcome.