Adam's Apples

  A civic-minded Macoun

These apples are large, classically shaped, and slightly ribbed. The partial orange blush, streaky in spots, is over green-yellow, accented with light lenticels.  ¶  They are fragrant, and some have a little russet in their stem wells.

A TRICK, OR A TREAT? Imagine my surprise at seeing a russet apple among those from the Midwest Apple Improvement Association . M AIA is a modern-day breeding program that develops varieties with commercial potential.  ¶  One can say (I would!) that an aromatic russet variety should command market share. Nonetheless, promoting one in today's environment would be a bold move indeed. But not so fast.

Today we have a large oblate apple, its yellow ribs blending gently with the spring-green valleys between.  ¶  It wears a swath of coppery russet like a bicorn hat radiating from the well where sits a short stubby stem.  ¶  There are crackles of russet on one side, some darker green streaks, and dark grey lenticel dots across the field. There's a smattering of harmless flyspeck (which has nothing to do with flies) as well.

This week is the very last for the suburban farmers markets that have served us since June. Urban markets will run through the American Thanksgiving.  ¶  In Arlington this afternoon, the vendors were breaking down their canopies and booths as I arrived. But you could still have bought any of twenty-one kinds of apples:

Today we stray into speculative territory. MAIA 1284 has not been released by the Midwest Apple Improvement Association. It may never be.  ¶  Should it? You be the judge of its unusual flavor set.