Adam's Apples

For an old-fashioned, high-quality desert apple, try the splendid Opalescent—if you can! This heritage apple is hard to find. Opalescent is large and handsome: I use this photo of it as my personal online avatar.

Tiny, flavorful Wickson poses with beautiful, placid Opalescent in today's photo. I esteem both of these apples. It's a sign of the times that you could have gotten these at urban farmers markets this year, without visiting orchard country.

A few orchards grow "heirloom" apples. Opalescent, which was introduced in 1880, qualifies as an antique variety. Here's the text of the sign that Volante Farms posted over a bin of these apples: This big, primarily dark red beauty is juicy, firm, and pleasant in flavor. Opalescent was introduced in 1880.