Adam's Apples

I've tasted Reinette Clochard only once before and was mightily impressed with it.  ¶  Time for a second bite.

The day shone sunny and bright at the last outdoor farmers market of the year.  (Photo:  The low November sun kisses the last apples of the year at the Davis Square farmers market in Somerville, Massachusetts, earlier today. )  There were 11 different kinds of apples to buy.

Some apples yet cling to the bare branches in the low late November light.

When I published my review of Belle de Boskoop in 2011, a reader told me ,  ❝ My samples look quite different.... Does yours have the 3 pronounced ribs on it? ❞  The implication (delivered diplomatically) was, are you sure you got this right, dude? When I published my review of Alexander earlier this year, another reader told me , Looks like Belle de Boskoop to me, and the description is consistent with my experience with that variety. Your review of Boskoop displays an apple inconsistent with my experience in both appearance and qualities.

The end of the season is nigh at the Davis Square farmers market earlier today.  ¶  With just a week to go before the markets' seasonal end, there are fewer farmers with less fruit and less time.  ¶  Deals can be had.

I have two of these pretty red apples today, large and medium.  ¶  But note "today" is mid October, as I saved one of them to eat a bit later in the season.  ¶  The smaller is a bit asymmetrical from some accident of growth, but both are ribbed and wear constellations of large light lenticel dots and a very faint light bloom of excess natural wax.  ¶  Rub that off and the apple has a semigloss shine. (Always wash an apple before eating, not to remove the harmless bloom but because you don't know where it has been.)