Adam's Apples

The Cortland apple has an ardent following. In September and October, I like Macs and Macouns, close Cort relations.  Photo: McIntosh (L) and Cortland  ¶  But lately, in February and now March, I have been enjoying Cortland's crisp vinous goodness.  ¶  Let's see how it stacks up agains the Mac at this time of year.

Hopeful spring is early days, with months of risk and peril before the harvest.  ¶  Some of these won't make it.  ¶  But it's May, so let's enjoy the beauties of spring and the promises for the fall.

Spotted recently: A specialty shop is asking $6.95 per pound for Cortlands.  ¶  I'll pass, mate.

Cortland sits modestly in the shadow of its more glamorous relatives, McIntosh and Macoun . Cortland is the number one favorite of some people I know, yet I generally pass this variety by, given what else is available in the fall. For this reason I wanted to revisit Cortland, with a farmers-market-fresh apple picked at peak. Would I revise my original review ?

This McIntosh cross (with Ben Davis, a nearly defunct variety) is prized for salads and fruit cups because it browns only slowly when cut. But doesn't it deserve to be taken seriously for its other qualities? Cortland has been around for more than a century.