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There was such variation in the bin of Mollie's Delicious that I could not find a typical sample.
Most ran large to extra-large and were both ribbed and conical: more so than in my example, and a few with such exaggerated ribbing as to look strangely emaciated.
All had a streaky red blush that nonetheless manages to be quite rich in places, a very handsome color. This is over a green-tinged yellow skin.
Mollie has a very deep stem well and tan lenticels that range from tiny to large. It feels quite firm unbroken and has a very faint sweet aroma.
Crisp creamy-yellow flesh, more coarse-grained than not, delivers a mild flavor that is sweet but not cloying, with a hint of lemonade. This satisfying apple went down very easy.
The very start of the first few bites hints at a bit more complexity--berries perhaps? but this impression is quickly overwhelmed by the sweetness.
Some sources describe this variety as an early Red Delicious type. There's some similarity, though Mollie's is the better apple, with some of the qualities that Red Delicious so often promises and fails to deliver.
However, Mollie's Delicious is not a Red Delicious sport, but a cross with Gravenstein and Golden Delicious bloodlines, bred at Rutgers in the 1960s.
Mollies' Delicious does well in a warm climate also and keeps a nice crunch despite the heat. The color is more subdued with none of the russet netting in the photo.
ReplyDeleteYou know, Kevin, I had never even heard of this variety before. I thought it might be just a Delicious sport.
ReplyDeleteThis one reminded me just a little of this great photo of Hawkeye, the original Red Delicious, over at Grist.
Mollie's Delicious is not related to Red Delicious, but does remind me of the old Hawkeye. Oddly enough, it was the first variety to fruit in our Uganda orchard, beating out Anna and Dorsett Golden. The future is bright for this excellent variety.
ReplyDelete@kuffel, not related (as I note in my post) but in some ways it does Red Delicious one better.
DeleteI've had Mollies that have stayed on the tree an extra month! They are a dark red with some tannic bitter notes, different from what I describe above.
Glad to hear they are working out in Uganda! Who'd have guessed?