Adam's 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.

A few years ago, Mike, a reader, proposed a blog called "The Braeburn That I Ate Today." He was reflecting on the variability of his favorite apple. Until he follows through with this noble plan, I am filling in with a report about a dozen different Braebs I've eaten this year. The three apples in my lead photo are all Braeburn, purchased on the same day from the same supermarket (January 26, Burlington (Massachusetts) Market Basket, "batch 'A'"). From left, striped and blocky; orange, striped, and conical; solid red, broad, and tapered. The apple Braeburn  is one of several imports from New Zealand, available these days in supermarkets across the U.S. It is not especially a favorite of mine (not that I have a problem with it), but it is not hard to enjoy either. The investigation There is something to Mike's point of view, in that Braeburn varies. When I started tasting in the winter, the samples were...

In the last few years we've seen some new faces on the supermarket shelves. Kiku is sweet and crisp and juicy. Mahana Red is crisp and juicy and sweet. Kiku Mahana Red

Today's apple is attractive and big, with red to deep red streaks, sweet, juicy, and crisp. And it's a fraud. That is, it's a Braeburn marketed under another name. And frankly, I've had better Braeburns.

Despite the return of local apples last week, July was a month when I ate a lot of imports from the southern hemisphere . As it turns out, many of the apples that drew me last month—16 of them—were offspring of Gala and Braeburn, two New Zealand varieties that have become supermarket staples here in the States. Gala Braeburn (Yes, I am keeping track this year.) Maybe you've been making similar choices. Here are mine. Jazz , one of my favorites of the new breeds, is a Braeburn x Royal Gala cross. This means Royal Gala (a variant of Gala ) pollinated Braeburn. Envy on the other hand is a Royal G...

When I first laid eyes on this pretty New Zealand import, I thought, What a great idea! Cross new-fangled Braeburn with heirloom Jonathan for some snap and hybrid vigor. Alas, disappointment followed. Yes the fruit has something like Jonathan's deep glossy blush, but that's all. Joburn is not a new breed at all but a sport  of an existing variety. It's a redder genetic mutation but otherwise it's just  Braeburn .

This attractive variety has a red blush over yellow green, accented by many tiny light lenticels. At its deepest the blush comprises darker and lighter streaks together.  The lenticels, which are dark green in the unblushed skin, crowd the bottom third of the fruit and grow sparse near the top. Braeburn runs medium to large and is moderately ribbed. My sample is fragrant, firm, and (see the photo) glistening with wax.