Adam's Apples

The apple season started early in July along with dire predictions of a McIntosh harvest in mid-August. The idea of a "normal" harvest date is elusive, but Lodi was available the week of July 14, more than two weeks premature. This harvest follows a warm spring with unusually early blossoming --"not a little bit weird, it's high weird," as one grower said. However, the early Lodi apples proved unripe--picked prematurely. Other varieties, though early, seem to be so by about a week, not a fortnight. I personally saw six local varieties for sale in July: Vista Bella , Lodi, Paula Red , Jersey Mac (and Early Mac, as near the same thing as no never mind), Yellow Transparent , and Zestar . In a normal year, if there is such a thing, most of these would not be available until early August. A seasonal import from Argentina, Autumn Greeting , also made a brief appearance in mid July, though these...

Apples ripening at Nagog Hill Orchard earlier today.

The first of these luminous beauties had been off the tree too long. The second was picked too soon. But the third was just right. Yellow Transparent, an heirloom from Russia, is small with a pale yellow skin and green lenticels. These are slightly conical and slightly ribbed. Most of my tasting samples had a very faint pink tinge on the sun-kissed side. The overripe one (shown) bruised very easily.

My impulse to post a monthly guide to apples then in season seemed brilliant in October, a bit desperate in June, but the year is now complete. You can look them up by month here (or just see them all at once ).

In the two years (to the day!) since I started Adam's Apples, I've had fun, learned a lot, met some people in the apple world, and enjoyed some wonderful fruit. To most, this web site is a catalog. That's how I'd originally conceived it. Some of you follow it in true blog style, checking up on the latest: I clink apples with you. For me, this blog has also been a journey of growing appreciation and knowledge of apples. Read more »

Every year brings new discoveries. Here are five "bests" that I enjoyed for the first time last year. Not best-ever, but best "new" tastes of the year. I look forward to seeing them again.

The first apples have come early this year. The wonderful fresh Vista Bella apples (right) usually come in the third or fourth week of July, though since the growing season is so early this year I thought we might see them sooner. I was completely surprised however to see Lodi (left) at the Arlington's Farmers Market today. If Lodi they be--I scarcely recognize them. Their shape and size and color is not what I expect. They are usually small but today tower over the Vista Bella.