Adam's Apples

True to its name, this handsome apple has a very deep purplish-red blush, accented with light lenticels. The apple itself is a large medium of classical shape with just a suggestion of ribbing. The blush on my sample is its full deep saturated color over half of the apple, and the rest is light and streaky. The only unblushed skin, in the stem well, is a light and vibrant green.

Yesterday I pedaled out to Nagog Hill Orchard in Littleton. This is an agreeably bare-bones pick-your-own place, but of course you can buy by the pound and they have a lot of trees and varieties from which to chose. There's not a lot of room in my bike bag and I only bought one, a Macoun. The woman behind the table helpfully offered a paper towel to protect the apple, a nice thing to do because Macouns bruise easily.

This conical, medium-sized apple has a light red-pink blush over a bright green yellow peel. Its "ribs" are apparent in the photo. The blush has two discrete parts, a light translucent pink and a more-saturated orange red. There is some russet on the blush and in the stem well. Lenticels are dark, and the apple has a faint sweet smell.

Excellent Milton is a medium large apple with a blush that runs to a deep red over a green yellow. Its many irregular lenticels are a darker green (though not in this photo: see below). The fruit is classically shaped with just a little ribbing, and there are some minor scratches that look like fine lines of russet. It has a faint grassy smell.

"Ugly, but sweet," said the sign for these little gems at Farmers market. Ugly? I beg to differ. These small ribbed apples have an orange red blush over yellow, with light green lenticels. My three tasting samples are each different. One is mostly blush, and one is mostly russet (with little blush). Today's photo showcases the one with some of everything. "Striking" I would say. "Not airbrushed barbie-doll perfect," I grant you. But ugly? Click here (or on the photo) for the close up and say that.

This striking small medium fruit is light yellow with light green lenticels. It is ribbed and has little bumps, or "chins," around the calyx.   My sample has some russet in the stem well and a mellow aroma that suggests pear and Golden Delicious.

Bonus question first: With the name "Jonamac," what could the two parents of this apple be?  This variety is a straightforward blend of many of Jonathan's and McIntosh's fine qualities, with an emphasis on the Mac. Jonamac has a streaky dull red blush over a bright spring green, decorated with light lenticels. It is medium large and ribbed. My sample is slightly conical and wears a few spots of flyspeck.

The name refers to this apple's (a) color and (b) resistance to disease and its general ease of care. Red Free is a classically shaped apple, ribbed and medium large. Its red blush ranges from streaky to saturated over light yellow green.

We spent last week in New York City—not for the apples but, happily, apples there were. New York is a great enough city to draw all good things to it; moreover it sits near farms and orchards in the fertile Hudson Valley, Long Island, and New Jersey. Travelers who want to touch the land and lives of the places they visit could do worse than to visit markets where local food is sold.

September is a transition month. Some orchards don't grow any early apples. But by the end of the month high season is well underway. Some of last month's picks are still in season. I was surprised to find some good Gravensteins at Nagog Hill Orchard yesterday, and there are Gingergolds and Zestars. Opalescent I also look forward to finding more Tydeman's , reviewed last week, and handsome, elegant Opalescent, one of my favorites from last September. The big event of September, however, has to be the debut of Macintosh and Macoun, two magnificent apples with rival fan clubs. (You can compare them side by side and judge for yourself.)

Large, ribbed, and lobed, this cross of McIntosh and Worcester Pearmain wears a red blush over spring green, with many light lenticels visible in the blush. One sample is lopsided, with odd lobes and scars; the other more regular and with russet radiating from the stem well.