Adam's Apples

Crunch! Gingergold is a medium-to-large fruit, a sprightly green-yellow with tiny dark-green speckles. Some of the apples have a pale red-orange blush, usually over only a small portion of the skin. The sample pictured is more conical than most, but all seem to have some ribbing and many have a little russetting in the stem well.

I got two of these at Lexington's farmers market, one so different from the other that maybe two varieties got confused in the box. I am describing the more traditional-looking of the two (shown): medium sized, yellow-green with a streaky red blush with some faint speckles that you have to look very carefully to see. I had thought my mystery apple might turn out to be one of these, but based on appearance alone I'd say not so even before tasting it.

I was out of town on Wednesday, but today scored some Paula Reds at Belmont's farmers market. Paula Red is a medium-sized apple that is mostly red, though with green streaks and small light speckles. Skin is more matte than glossy. The fruit is slightly ribbed and where the red fails the underlying color is a spring green that is bright and saturated. (In fact it looks like that of a Vista Bella. ) I have had some Paula Reds that were not very interesting, but these are the most McIntosh -like apples of the summer so far. Crisp and a tart, with spice notes and assertive acidity.

I got three pretty little Yellow Transparent apples at Lexington's farmers market last Tuesday. These are small-to-medium apples with pale yellow-green skin attractively set off by darker green speckles. One has a faint pink blush about an inch in diameter. The flesh is white and fine-grained with yellow-green highlights and is pleasingly crisp with a satisfying crunch.

As told previously, I bought two of these on August 5th at Lexington's Farmers Market. They're not bad! This is a medium-sized apple with just a hint of ribs. The blush is streaky and a little washed out. There is a some russetting in the stem well. The taste begins tart, with pine notes, but then fades as does that of most early apples. Exceptionally crisp and crunchy for an early apple.   The dense white flesh has green highlights and calves just a little when bitten, with only slight softness afterwards. I wonder, in fact, if these are a little unripe. (Maybe they're better that way.) The finish is pleasingly astringent.

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.