Cue's Favorite **

Joe Podles, who lives here in Massachusetts, named this apple (after "Cue," his dad) and has grafted it for other growers.

Back in the day, that would have been enough to make Cue's Favorite a full-fledged named variety.

In 1880, there might have been a report about Cue's Favorite in the proceedings of some horticultural society, and that would be that.

Perhaps Spencer Beech would have collected it into his book, the Apples of New York, in 1909—without as much as a single plant patent, trademark, apple club, or or Twitter account in sight.

But today this pleasing apple has no such status, and Cue's Favorite is but a nickname.

Which means, gentle reader, that your options for finding this apple are limited.
More on all of that below the fold.

Cue's Favorite is an oblate, medium-sized apple with very moderate ribbing. Its streaky red blush covers a light yellow-green peel, punctuated by lenticel spots, not all of them distinct.

These samples have some very small bruises, and perhaps because of that they smell like sweet cider.

 The apple's medium-grained snow white flesh is flavorful, bearing vinous notes with raspberries.

This apple is well balanced (which is to say, it has some tart acidity to round things out), but there seems to be an extra dollop of cane sugar that asserts itself at the end of each bite, along with something like vanilla.

I am not sure that I am eating the Favorite at the peak of peak, but its texture is crisp enough.

This apple has all the hallmarks, then, of the McIntosh family, and some pleasing notes of its own. Cue's Favorite would be a worthy addition to that clan.

Cue's joins the short list of apples named to incorporate someone's nickname. (The only other that comes to mind, to be truthful, is Nodhead, the nom de pomme of Samuel Jewett, but there must be more.)

Joe reports that the apple is available in season at the C.N. Smith Farm in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Thanks for sharing it with me.

Links

• McIntosh, parent of many
• Nodhead, especially the story told in the comments
• C.N. Smith Farm
• Apple clubs
• Apples of New York