Tree-fresh Braeburn apples

I conclude my long deep dive into Braeburn with two examples bought at a local farmers market on October 20.

The project was inspired by a comment from a reader, who suggested that Braeburn was a fickle, variable apple that could not be relied upon to be the same from harvest to harvest or day to day.

My two local, fresh Braeburns are classically shaped with barely detectable ribbing.

Wide Braeburn from New Zealand

Their streaky red blush has a subdued, dusty quality and the view is enlivened by many light-colored lenticil dots.

The peel has a satiny shine.

Compare these to the broad, brawny (and redder!) New Zealand versions I had last June.

Good flavors, great crunch

Biting in, these are breaking crisp, with juicy, medium-coarse flesh of a very pale yellow. They are well balanced, with more tart than many modern varieties, but their flavors are not strong.

There are floral notes, and the acidity imparts a lively spiciness. There is a hint of vanilla in the finish, which has a refreshing astringent character.

Braeburn is a quality apple, and these fresh local ones have a stellar crunch.

Despite its utility, and its popularity with apple breeders, Braeburn seems to be out of vogue these days. During the winter and spring, only one supermarket chain sold it, and this fall only one grower brings it to market.

Inconstant Braeb

The original playful premise was that Braeburn is so variable that you could have an entire blog devoted to reporting "The Braeburn that I Ate Today."

That was a comment in a discussion about variety consistency: McIntosh (for example) will, if stored properly and for not too long a time, taste reliably like a Mac every year. 

Some other varieties are fussier and vary from harvest to harvest.

Based on the variation I explored last winter and spring, and now with the fall harvest, it is clear that Braeburn is one prima donna of an apple.

The whole story

• Braeburn itself
• "The Braeburn that I Ate Today" project
• and its genesis
• in a discussion about consistency and variabilty