Shorter days and cooler mornings bring the anticipation of aromatic fresh foods and weekend adventures. Saturday outings often start with an early morning trip to the farmers market in search of the freshest fruits, vegetables and breads. Some skip the market and head straight to the local orchard to search for the finest apples Mississippi has to offer as apple picking season ends in mid-October. Here in southern Mississippi, we don’t have the cooler climates that traditional apple-growing regions have. However, we do have a few varieties that grow very well here. Knowing which apples are best for eating and what apples are for baking can make a world of difference.
Just because our picking season is ending doesn’t mean apples aren’t available all year long. Local grocery stores offer apples that are both grown locally and shipped in from western regions and neighboring states. The most common varieties of apples carried in Mississippi’s local supermarkets are the Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Gala and Fuji apples, all great choices for eating. These sweet, crisp and filled with juice apples make a perfect addition to your child’s lunchbox or serve as an afternoon snack while sitting on the porch enjoying the fall air. The Gala can also be used for cooking, but not my first choice.
The Honeycrisp apple is one of my childhood favorites. It is not often grown in Mississippi but can usually be found in your local supermarket. I particularly enjoy the layers of flavor you find when eating this apple. The Honeycrisp offers a combination of both sweet and tart with each bite. If you haven’t tried one, I highly recommend you do. This crisp beauty offers a delicious twist from the more well-known, softer-textured sweet Golden and Red Delicious apples.
When it comes to time treasured fall desserts, I personally have my favorite go-to apples. My first choice for baking is a Granny Smith apple. It is easy to find in any supermarket. The tartness of this apple makes for the perfect balance when added to sweet baked good recipes. It holds up so well during the baking process due to its firmness in the raw state. When baking pies, I always look for a Rome Beauty apple. This apple is also firm, not too sweet and simply perfect for pies. Both Granny Smith and Rome Beauty will produce a firm, multi-leveled flavored pie filling. When making pie, tarts or turnovers, it’s important to select apples that are fresh, firm and free of blemishes. Always use apples that can withstand the cooking process. Never use an eating apple to bake with because it will yield a mushy, tasteless product.
There are a few more apples that deserve mention that are grown near the Coast. The red Anna apple is recommended for growth for those within 50 miles of the Coast. This apple needs a Golden Dorsett apple tree as a pollinator to successfully grow. Both have early bloom periods around late June and early July. These trees also need only 200-300 chill hours to set fruit. For those who are unfamiliar with the term chill hours, this refers to the time that an apple tree needs in temperatures between 34 to 45 degrees to produce properly. Different varieties require different chill times.
Both Mississippi grown apples are good eating apples. However, they do differ slightly. The Golden Dorsett is a softer apple and has a sweet and tart taste, making it an eating apple. The Anna is sweeter and just a little tart. It can be eaten or used to make sugar-free apple sauce. Lastly, we can’t talk about apples and not include the Arkansas Black. This bold boy is known for its firm texture and spicy flavor. The Arkansas Black apple withstands baking and offers a unique taste to any recipe. They are often used as a companion in ciders and apple moonshine to add depth and boldness.
Apples are such a healthy versatile fruit. They are used in a vast array of delectable dishes, as well as used to make a beautiful statement dried in decorative floral arrangements. So the next time you find yourself feeling a little perplexed in the produce section of the supermarket, take out this little clip-n-go cheat sheet and shop like a pro.
Clip-N-Go Apple Guide:
Anna: Eating, apple sauce and baking; Coastal grown apple
Golden Dorsett: Eating; Coastal grown apple
Golden Delicious: Eating, apple sauce, jelly and jam
Red Delicious: Eating; sweet and juicy
Cameo: Eating, pies and sauces; sweet, crispy and firm
McIntosh: Eating and sauces; slightly tart, juicy and crisp
Evercrisp: Eating; sweet and juicy
Envy: Eating and baking; sweet and tangy
Empire: Eating and sauces; sweet and very crisp
Honeycrisp: Eating and sauces; very sweet and juicy
Pink Lady: Eating; sweet and slightly tart
Gala: Eating; sweet and crisp
Golden Early: Eating and sauces; crisp and slightly tart
Granny Smith: Baking, sauces, chicken and green salads; pretty tart
Fuji: Eating, cider and apple sauce
Rome Beauty: Eating, apple sauce and cider
Arkansas Black: Baking, cider and making
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