Adam's Apples

For the third week in a row, only one vendor at our farmers market had only one kind of apple.  ¶  But the fruit was different this week: a modern variety called Pristine.  ¶  This has become one of my favorite early apples.

At farmers market today only one kind of apple, from just one vendor.  Not a great sign for this year's harvest, but if I had to pick just one of the earlys it would be this one: Pristine.

There is a charming antique Russian apple called Yellow Transparent, also called White Transparent, of surprising sophistication if you get good ones.  That's challenging as this early August variety is at peak for about 45 minutes. Almost nobody grows it these days, which is a shame, but there are two modern varieties that sort of fill the same niche.

My advice for the week: If you find Pristine for sale, seize with both hands. Photo from farmers market last Wednesday.

Eat us now! The best of the super earlies, crisp and lively Pristine has snap and sophistication. They are ripe now, so what are you waiting for?

Today we weigh two modern varieties in the shadow, or perhaps the light, of a third apple that isn't here: a hundred-sixty-plus-year-old Russian variety called  Yellow Transparent .

I was very pleased to get these excellent apples at farmers market today, since I'd never found Pristine in New England before. This tasting does not replace my initial review of the Pristines I got in New York in early September of 2008. They were good then, but I wondered how much better they might be fresh off the tree.

This striking small medium fruit is light yellow with light green lenticels. It is ribbed and has little bumps, or "chins," around the calyx.   My sample has some russet in the stem well and a mellow aroma that suggests pear and Golden Delicious.