Off-season substitutions, or what to eat in April

Despite its "April" title, this post might be helpful from December through July, if you are missing your favorite apples.

If your favorite is available year round, like Red Delicious or Braeburn, you might still want to try something a little different.

If you like	Try	Because
McIntosh, Macoun, Gravenstein, Winesap, & similar	Empire	Though not complex, crisp Empire, with its berry and vinous notes, is like a generic version of these classic varieties.
Honeycrisp, Melrose, Melrouge	Pacific Rose, Fuji	Light, sweet, and crisp.
Rhode Island Greening, Newtown Pippin	Granny Smith	Authoritative tang.
Cox's Orange Pippin, Esopus Spitzenberg	Piñata	Piñata's interesting tastes recall these full-flavored classics, though much sweeter.
Blushing Golden, Gold Rush, Jonagold	Golden Delicious; Gala	Mellow favorite; crisp pleaser. Note Golden D is an ancestor, and in most cases a parent, of all these varieties.
Red Delicious	Ambrosia, Cameo, Pacific Rose, Fuji	Any of these four are superior. Sweet, crisp, and delicate.
Braeburn, Gala	Jazz	First-rate Braeburn-Gala cross.
Cortland (for salads)	Lady Alice	Like Cortland, crisp Alice oxidizes slowly.
Most russet apples	Bosc or other pear	Pear notes.

Most of my "try" suggestions should be available year-round, or nearly so, but a few have more-limited sales windows.