From flower to fruit

Before

After

What do you want to be when you grown up?

These apples are grafted, so there is really no doubt about that here.

Behold the Calville Blanc D'Hiver.

Williams, before and after

Two Williams data points, one from Harvard on Sunday, another from my Williams review circa 2015.

Hightop Sweeting

There's an apple in there someplace.

I have never had the pleasure of tasting a Hightop Sweeting, so no "after" photo this time.

But isn't this one gorgeous? (And isn't that a topping name?)

Before and after

Above, two moments in the life of Duchess of Oldenburg, an antique Russian variety with cooking and keeping qualities.

It's a late-summer apple.

A friend took this and other blossom photos in Harvard, Massachusetts, yesterday.

Massachusetts dreamin'

Is it too soon to hope
On this chilly wet day in early May
For the sun, and a bountiful harvest

Conrad Siever

Not in that wasted garden

Where bodies are drawn into grass

That feeds no flocks, and into evergreens

That bear no fruit —

There where along the shaded walks

Vain sighs are heard,

And vainer dreams are dreamed

Of close communion with departed souls —

But here

Has anyone seen Alice?

Apples on the web: Recipes

Drinking Cider has curated a Pinterest page of recipes made with cider, both hard and sweet.

Pinned to Recipes with Cider on @Pinterest: James Martin's very best of British: Damson upside down cake with cider custard | Daily Mail Online https://t.co/N8ixOZkwpr https://t.co/y9ux4UKsDm

— DrinkingCider (@DrinkingCiders) February 10, 2019

Cosmic Crisp vs. SugarBee smackdown

In the realm of Honeycrisp and its two principal rivals, EverCrisp and Cosmic Crisp, the SugarBee (R) is but a poor relation.

Why, it doesn't even have the word "crisp" in its name.

But it comes from the same stock and aims for the same effect.

So join me for a comparison tasting with Cosmic Crisp (L), since I am fortunate to have both today.

Cosmic Crisp vs. EverCrisp smackdown

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a new apple variety with the word Crisp in its name is positioning itself for a run at Honeycrisp.

Of course, that means these rival varieties are also implicitly competing against each other.

So, Cosmic Crisp (L) and EverCrisp, what do you have to say for yourselves?

Designer stickers

If you have to stick a plastic label on your fruit, why not design it to a fare-thee-well?

Cosmic Crisp vs Honeycrisp smackdown

You knew this was coming, right?

I just ate these guys, and am feeling—sugared out.

The spectacular commercial success of Honeycrisp (right) has spawned a generation of challengers. Today comes Cosmic Crisp to claim the Saccharine Crown.

If you are a Honeycrisp fan, you've got to be wondering how the challenger stacks up.

Cosmic Crisp

Today's apple has attracted an extraordinary amount of attention from growers in Washington State The state university there developed and is promoting the new variety.

The growers are responding by ordering and planting thousands of trees.

Cosmic Crisp is a very handsome apple, quite big, with a saturated blush of orange-tinted crimson decorated by lenticel dots.

These run the gamut from tiny and distinct to large and diffuse. Ribbing also runs a range from moderate to pronounced.

My photo sample is tapered but most of the others are rounder and blocky.