It is PRIME TIME at the orchard right now if you're looking for a wide variety of apples! Which is awesome but can also be a little overwhelming! I thought I'd take a moment to create a post to help summarize what apples we have and what they're good for.
Remember - if you'd like a bushel please call ahead 608-635-4780 to save yourself $3/bushel!
Each of the varieties below are hyperlinked to a more detailed post and a fun recipe. This is just a summary post. On October 18th, 2023, I updated this post to include the remaining apples for the season. If the apples are varieties are in purple that means they're going for this year and if they are in green we still have to start picking them.
Varieties in the Shop:
Arkansas Black (recipe: Apple Fritter Ring): Hard and tart apple. Great for pie baking and cider making. Stores well until Christmas day.
Bonnie's Best (very low) (recipe: Bonnie's Apple Pie): crunchy, tender, juicy and tart for fresh eating and it keeps it shape when cook making a chunky applesauce.
Braeburn (recipe: Spiced Apple Bagel): Tart and hard apple that has a snap when you bite into it. It's a great keeper and will likely sweeten up with time. It will hold its shape when cooked.
Cameo (recipe: Apple Cheddar Bread): Sweet, crisp fresh eating apple that will cook down to a smoother sauce apple.
Cortland (recipe: Apple Pie in a Jar): These are in the mellow stage of apple meaning they are softer and sweeter. Some love these for eating right now but they also are prime for baking with! They hold their shape in a pie and make a chunkier applesauce.
Crimson Crisp (recipe: Fried Apple Slices): Firm, crunchy, sharp-tart apple. Definite a customer favorite if like tart apples.
Empire (recipe: Apple Strudel Cheesecake): Tart-sweet apple with a nice crunch! This is a great keeper when stored in the fridge. It will cook down in a pie and is great for dehydrating or use in ciders.
Fireside (gone for the season ... recipe: Baked Apples Supreme): Sweet, pleasant flavor with a crispy flesh! So good for fresh eating! It also is great for baked apples and dehydrating.
Gala (recipe: Apple Raisin Loaf): Hard, juicy and sweet. I recommend for fresh eating. It will hold it's shape when baked.
Golden Delicious (recipe: Creamy Apple Squares): Surprisingly sweet, nicely crisp and juicy. Tastes way better from the orchard than it does from a grocery store. It holds it's shape when cooking. Great for dehydrating!
Granny Smith (recipe: Apple Toss): Hard and tart apple. It holds it shape well when baked.
Haralson (gone for the season ... recipe: Peach-Apple Cobbler): Crisp, tart apple. It will keep it's shape when baked.
Honeycrisp (recipe: Fresh Apple Salsa): Crisp, juicy and sweet! Great for eating - definite crowd favorite. Hold's it shape when cooked.
Honeygold (gone for the season .. recipe: Apple Dessert): Sweet, crisp and juicy! Holds shape when baked and makes a chunky, sweet applesauce.
Idared (recipe: Tart & Tangy Apple Butter): crisp, tart, all purpose apple. Great for baked apples, pies, tarts and apple butter.
Jonagold (recipe: Bavarian Apple Torte): Sweet-tart apple great for fresh eating! Holds it's shape when baked and has a great depth of flavor so it can hold its own if you don't want to use the baker's mix.
Jonathan (recipe: Fresh Apple Cake): Tart-sweet apple. To me it's the most "appley" apple I've ever tasted. It will cook down in a pie and if you cook with it's skin on it will make a delicious pink applesauce.
JUMBO ( gone for the season ... recipe: Apple Walnut Cake): Monstrous apple with a tart-sweet, juicy bite. It is a dense apple. It cooks down so if you want a mushier pie this apple will definitely save you time peeling!
Keepsake (recipe: Apple Strudel Puff Pastry): This is a deliciously crunchy apple (in fact its where the honeycrisp got her crunch from!). Hard juicy apple that's great for fresh eating but will also hold it's shape when baked.
McIntosh (recipe: Pan Apple Pie): Like the cortland's the McIntosh have reached their sweeter, softer phase in the season. Still great for fresh eating for those that enjoy a softer apple but definitely prime for baking a mushier apple pie or a smooth applesauce.
Melrose (gone for the season ... recipe: Apple Crisp Parfait): Tart and crisp now! It will sweeten and mellow with time. This apple is great keeper and will be nice and tender in pies, cakes and crisps.
Northern Spy (gone for the season ... recipe: Apple Blackberry Crisp): Brightly tart with a great crips bite and a surprisingly thin skin. It will keep it's shape when baked.
Pink Lady (recipe: Crispy Festive Apple Salad): Both sweet and tart! A burst of all flavors in your mouth when you bite into it! It will hold it's shape when cooked and is slow to brown. Great keeper.
Red Delicious: Sweet, hard, thick skinned apple. Definitely recommended for just fresh eating.
Regent (gone for the season ... recipe: Apple gingerbread): Juicy, crisp tart apple. Tends to cook down more with a tart, tangy flavor.
Smoothee (gone for the season ... recipe: Apple Slices): Crisp, juicy and mildly sweet. It will hold it's shape when baked.
Snow (gone for the season ... recipe: Cranberry Popover Puff): More sweet than tart! Not a super hard apples and it will cook down smooth when baked.
Snow Sweet (recipe: Apple-Raspberry Tarts): Crisp, sweet almost buttery tasting apple. I find that folks that enjoy sweet or tart apples still love this one.
Spartan (gone for the season ... recipe: Applesauce Cookie): Sweet-tart apple with a pure white flesh. Great for fresh eating or baking. Really good all purpose apple.
Stayman (recipe: Baked Apple Clafouti): Tart, spicy apple that is firm and juicy. good for fresh eating or baking.
Sweet 16 (recipe: Apple French Toast): Great for fresh eating and it keeps well. It will soften when cooked.
Winesap (recipe: Scalloped Apples): Tart/sweet flavored hard apple with a vinous tang. Stores very well. Great for pies, crisps and cider.
Baker's Mix (recipe: Apple Brownies): This is a special bag that we mix together. It always has three to five different apples in it and it changes as the season goes! It's our go-to recommendation for pies, sauce, crisp, etc! The mixture of apples creates a fantastic blend of flavor and textures that will make your mouth water for another serving!
What apples do you recommend for pies? Baker's Mix, McIntosh if you want a mushier pie, Cortland if you want the apples to keep their shape
What apples do you recommend for dehyrating? Golden Delicious, Smoothee, Jonagold, Cameo, Empire, Fireside, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady
What apples do you recommend for sauce/crisp/etc? Baker's mix, Honeycrisp, jonathan, jonagold
What apples are slow to brown? Cameo, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Pink Lady
What apples are best to use to make Baked Apples? Fireside, JUMBO, Bonnie's Best, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Idared, Pink Lady
What apples are the best keepers? Empire, Idared, Cameo, Keepsake, stayman, Winesap, Sweet 16, Braeburn, Arkansas Black, Pink Lady
I hope this helps!
