Kind people have sent me apples before, but Aurora is my first from a commercial grower seeking greater exposure for a new variety. I am pleased to oblige.
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These are large ribbed apples, both broad and conical, sporting a glossy peel of pure yellow sunshine. There's no blush at all on any of my samples.
The lenticels are nearly invisible except around the crown where some have filled in with grey.
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| Stamens within |
The flesh is a coarse-grained light yellow, lightweight but very crisp and quite juicy. More sweet than tart, the flavors are mild to the point of attenuation, clean, and a little floral.
Tastes include, faintly, plums and watermelon (not the candy flavor that some apples seem to have, but faint traces of the fruit). There is only a hint of Golden Delicious's honey.
These flavors are very easy to take and enjoy. Indeed in an apple of lesser texture they would be bland. But in Aurora the delicacy of crunch and taste come together pleasingly.
Another taster, posting at Orange Pippin, aptly compares Aurora to a water chestnut, "sweet, crisp, clean." I imagine it as part of a tasting medley with some more-richly flavored apples.
This apple when cut exhibited almost no browning over a 12-hour period, making it a good candidate for adding crunch to salads and sandwiches.
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| Gee Whiz is a brand of Auvil Fruit. |
Aurora is prone "to bruise and split," according to Otto Friedli of Auvil Fruit, who sent these to me. It is a delicate apple. Inside, the cavity around the seeds is pronounced.
Aurora's full name, Aurora Golden Gala, suggest a sport of Gala, but it is a Splendour x Gala cross. I use the Commonwealth spelling for Splendor to honor Aurora's origin at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland, British Columbia, circa 1997.
Aurora was first commercialized (and named) about 10 years ago, but I have never seen it in stores in New England. Thanks to Auville for the chance to try this apple.
I am trying to find a source who can tell me when Aurora Apples are in season and available for purchase and if and where I can find them in or around Sacramento California
ReplyDeleteThey just became available (about 10 days? two weeks ago?) at my store: Savemart in Davis. Check the SM stores in Sacto to see if any there also carry them. WRT fruit, I usually don't buy apples; very lukewarm attitude. But after trying a sample, I bought five of them. The lightweight crispness of watermelon, with a higher water content than "normal" denser apples as stated above is the PERFECT way to describe them. Aurora has joined Honey Crisp and Kiku as the apples I *will* buy.
DeleteThey just became available (about 10 days? two weeks ago?) at my store: Savemart in Davis. Check the SM stores in Sacto to see if any there also carry them. WRT fruit, I usually don't buy apples; very lukewarm attitude. But after trying a sample, I bought five of them. The lightweight crispness of watermelon, with a higher water content than "normal" denser apples as stated above is the PERFECT way to describe them. Aurora has joined Honey Crisp and Kiku as the apples I *will* buy.
DeleteI was just at Safeway on the corner of Calvine and Elk Grove Florin and they are on sale for $1.99/lb this week.
ReplyDeleteI've never had this one, but your description of the seed cavity reminded me of winter banana, the only apple in my experience to have this characteristic. I wonder if there's some relation?
ReplyDeleteAlice, it's not much like Winter Banana otherwise! But maybe there is some relation to one of the two parent apples, Gala and Splendour.
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