Adam's Apples

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.

A week earlier than last year, our first New England apples of the season were in a box at the Arlington Farmers Market today. These are Jersey Macs, which were not memorable last summer. But this year they occupy a place of honor. Biting into the first one cuts the ribbon to a season of local fruit. What's that like? Their crunch, their tang, and the fragility of their flesh all proclaim unmistakably that these are home-grown apples fresh off the tree.

For a very long time, the most popular page on this site was for Mutsu (aka Crispin). Lots of people misspell it as "Mitsu," and I am apparently one of the few who list that as an alternate spelling (though it isn't alternate, it's wrong.) Those who put " Mitsu apples " into Google found me. Misspellers of the world, untie!

The cupboard is bare at Nagog Hill Orchard. The scene was earlier today. Luckily I'd brought along a Jazz apple from New Zealand.

So fixed has my attention been on the impending apple season (probably starting with Vista Bella ) that I almost missed this late import. Autumn Greeting is large, conical, and ribbed, with a streaky pinkish-red blush over green yellow. Many of the apples on sale were a little lopsided. Mine has some russet in the stem well. Light lenticels of varying size decorate this fruit, with more and closer spots nearer to the base. The smell is sweet and lush, with almost tropical notes; the calyx is lightly parted

A grower sells produce (but no apples) at the Farmers Market in Lexington ( map ) yesterday.

Far from here, where orange trees blossom, Apples and Oranges is the witty and informative work of Southern California grower and nursery owner Kevin Hauser. The tagline to his blog is "Growing Apples Where They're Not Supposed To," but there are many apple trees in his portfolio. Some have been bearing since early June, and the harvest season down there lasts through February. Kevin leavens his considerable knowledge of pomiculture with a light touch and a dry wit. His approach is eclectic rather than comprehensive, though more detailed information about growing apples (and other diverse topics ) can be found on his companion web site.