Yellow Transparent (White Transparent) **

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.

The Yellow Transparent has a delicate flavor with lime and vanilla notes and a good balance of tart and sweet. Really, this is a surprisingly sophisticated taste for such an early apple.

There is a mildly acid finish and a hint of astringency. The thin skin just vanishes into the flesh when you eat it.

One of my test apples was not nearly so good--less flavorful and softer, almost a different apple in the mouth. So have more than one. Hey, they're small.

Update: These apples were sold as "Lodi" and for two years I thought that is what they were. I've corrected the name. Sorry for any confusion.

Meanwhile, I took another bite at Yellow Transparent here.

Further Update: This head-to-head Lodi–Yellow Transparent comparison should help clear up any lingering confusion about which apple is which.