Firecracker (Bill's Red Flesh Crab)

This small, crabapple-sized fruit, with its glossy deep red peel and striking pink flesh, is gorgeous. But is it good to eat?

Look in vain for lenticel dots on Firecracker's perfect crimson skin (unless you have a magnifier and keen eyes).

This apple is elongated and often with distinct ribbed "chins" at the base, like a miniature Red Delicious.

The pink flesh, tart and moderately bitter, is firm and crunchy but granular.

There is a bit of cherry and grapefruit, and something nutty, before acidity and tannic bitterness assert themselves and carry all before them.

Some black pepper arises in the mix by the end of the chew. It has a kick!

Despite those interesting flavors, Firecracker is really not an eating apple.

Whether it has virtues in cider or cooking I cannot say. (It would certainly make a colorful tipple.)

I had Firecracker two years ago, but this is the better sample.

Recently, I have become persuaded that Firecracker is also called Bill's Red Flesh Crab.

That would explain why some say this apple is the same as the quite different Scarlett Surprise, whose original name is the deceptively similar Bill's Red Flesh (sans "crab").

Firecracker is a seedling apple that may be related to Surprise, another red-flesh variety.

Links

• Past-its-prime tasting from 2 years ago (some good photos though)
• Not Scarlet Surprise