Adam's Apples

It's a fine time of year for apples.

Will, from Central Massachusetts, sent me these (and some other apples) from his home orchard seeking to know what they might be. They are from his tree E5 and are supposed to be Red Delicious ("RD") from a tree purchased from Home Depot ("HD"). You do not have to be a pomologist to know these are not those. So, what are they?

Josh has been sending me apples this year from his orchard in western Washington: one last summer, and six this fall I've already written about the first three of the six, which included a second bite for me of Tompkins King . There was also a mystery apple that I think could be the great Ashmead's Kernel . (Others disagree .) The second trio, below, also includes one apple that Josh knows for sure. It is Kingston Black, a famous cider apple.

Today I am tasting the first of a shipment of mystery apples from Will, who grew these in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, near Worcester. Will got ahold of me hoping for some help IDing his crop. I warned him that he'd probably be disappointed, since I'm not much of an apple sleuth . He sent his apples anyway. The provisional names are his.

The apple blogger's complaint Clockwise from right: Ashmead's Kernel, Macoun, Wickson, Baldwin It is glorious October ! At this point in the season my refrigerator overflows with Ashmead's Kernel, Macoun, Wickson, and Baldwin. But can I eat them? I can not.

The purpose of today's apple adventure is not to decide which is best, but rather what is what. I spotted some similarities between Ashmead's Kernel and an unidentified variety that came my way . Some of you, gentle readers, begged to differ . So, I report, you decide. What is this guy?

This is shaping up to be the Year of People Sending Me Apples. This past summer Josh sent me what was probably Duchess of Oldenburg from his Eastern Washington orchard. Josh thought so too. Hey, I got one right! And now the floodgates are opened. I do not mind at all (far from it), but for the record let me explain why I probably cannot identify your mystery apple even if I have one to taste.

When a reader named Josh packed up a care package for me from his orchard in western Washington, he threw in Tompkins King (aka King) because I had said (in my 2013 review ) that I would like to try it again. This Tompkins is large, ribbed, and classically shaped, if a bit broad in the beam. It's a naturally green apple almost entirely covered with a blush of very fine streaks, orange-red. Look closely to see many regular tan lenticel dots. It is firm and fragrant.

Kingston Black is famous! But not for eating.

Some of the choices in the mist at the Union Square farmers market this morning.

I had my first Chenango Strawberry two years ago, picked two weeks later than this one (which dates from mid September). At the time wondered if my apple was a little too long off the tree, and wished for a second chance. Well I got my wish, and I think this is a slightly better version. What I learned, however, is that I pretty much nailed it the first time.

I guess it is the Year of the Red Fleshed Harvest here at Adam's Apples. Behold the red-tinged pips of the Redfield apple.

This small, classically shaped apple has a deep red blush decorated with a rugged archipelago of russet and distinctive light lenticel dots. The peel has a satiny gloss. My Redfield is moderately ribbed and has an open, and deep, calyx. It smells faintly of cinnamon, perhaps residue of actual cinnamon from baked goods in the farm shop where I bought the apple.