Green Crisp *

"Green Crisp" is very apt. But the truth is that not even the grower knows the true name of this apple, or even if it has one.

Green Crisp is a lovely light spring green, conical and ribbed. It is a medium-to-medium-large apple with small dark lenticels that are not obvious, except where russetted. The fruit feels quite firm and smells faintly of moss.

Inside is firm white flesh, crisp and pleasantly juicy, that is halfway between fine-grained and coarse.

Its balanced flavors are somewhat attenuated, after the style of a Gingergold or Mutsu, though more assertive. These tastes include a citric zing, with a little lime and a whiff of vanilla and wine in the background. Think Vino Verde, the simple light "green" (white) wine of Portugal.

Some of these flavors might be offensive were they stronger, but light Greencrisp strikes a refreshing balance, with a cool astringent finish. Have another!

The growers inherited this apple when they took over the then-abandoned orchard years ago.

Green Crisp is a great name for this variety, but you won't find it called that anywhere else.

My Greencrisps came from Old Frog Pond Farm in Harvard, Massachusetts.

This place is a little unusual: for one thing, it's an organic you-pick, though most organic growers probably prefer to handle their fruit up to point of sale.

It's also (as we have seen), a poetic spot in a very lovely setting, and it has a sculpture garden.

Those blemishes on the apple have dire-sounding names but are not even skin deep, indeed a good bit of the sooty blotch came off when I washed it.

You do find more of this on organic fruit, but note that this one was from a batch of seconds that was destined for the juicer. So, blotchier than you'd normally find for picking or for sale.