Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Sunrise

Update: Looks like this was actually Sunrise Magic, a new variety from Washington State that I have re-reviewed. More on this confusion below.

A yellow apple with a partial wash of orange-red blush

These medium-sized apples are mostly conical and tapered, though one sample is a bit rounder.

They are ribbed, sometimes markedly so, with calyxes that fairly gape—you can see right inside them.

The wash of orange-red blush covers a pale yellow peal tinged with green. There are many faint tiny lenticel dots, easier to spot in the unblushed portion but not prominent anywhere.

A faint aroma bears Golden Delicious honey. The peal is greasy with (natural) wax.

The Proof of the Pudding

Light yellow flesh, almost off-white, is more coarse than fine and has a yielding crunch. The sweet-tart balance is quite good, and mild enough for anyone.

Flavors are delicate almost to a fault, but there are vinous, floral, and vanilla notes that combine pleasingly. Or perhaps the vanilla is more banana.

Sunrise is a summer apple, so I suppose that my October sample must have been in cold storage for more than a month, perhaps two. Update: ha.

If so, it kept well, but I imagine a fresh-picked sample might be better. Mine did not hold up well in my humble refrigerator.

Update: The more likely explanation is that this is a different variety, mislabeled by the grower. I am altogether too trusting a fellow.

The below information is accurate, but not about this apple.

Pedigree

Sunrise is a modern variety, bred by the Summerland Research and Development Centre in British Columbia around 1990. 

Several websites say it is a McIntosh x Golden Delicious cross.

It is not related to an older English variety that bears the same name

There's more about the modern Sunrise at Orange Pippin.

Update: Maybe I'll get to taste a real Sunrise some day.

2023 Update: I did


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