Nature's candy

(Note: Until I tried this variety, my only interaction with apples happened through my cereal, Apple Jacks, which I suspect don't contain any actual fruit. Photo courtesy of Honeycrisp.com.)



Ripening apples are as indicative of autumn as changing leaves are. With the change in weather, comes the fresh harvest. These natural delights come in a variety of sizes, colors and tastes, many of them indigenous to Central New York. This year, the Honeycrisp is one that both apple-lovers and loathers should try.

The Honeycrisp apple is a fairly new variety that is pleasing palettes at apple fests and farmers’ markets this fall. It’s not easy to get your hands on this fruit, though; the Honeycrisp tree is finicky - which farmers say contributes to the superior quality of its fruit - because it does not grow in all climates or soils.

A hybrid between the Macoun and Honeygold, the Honeycrisp was cultivated in a 1960 experiment at the University of Minnesota. In 1991, it was introduced to consumers, and its popularity has grown ever since. Midwest farmers have been growing the apples since the early ‘90s, but the fruit was only recently introduced in New York.

These apples have a delicate balance of sweetness and tang that will easily convert apple-haters into fans. Growers suggest that finicky eaters try this apple, because it combines desirable qualities of other apples. The skin, a muted red with “apple” green patches, is similar in texture to Macintosh or Cortland apples, with a slightly thinner peel, making it easy to bite. The Honeycrisp flesh resembles that of the sour Granny Smith variety but the tartness is undercut by a sweetness that is scrumptious. Another bonus is that this apple is not gritty or mealy like other types can be.

Honeycrisps are enjoyably sweet, tart and juicy. They are also excellent cooking apples. They soften into glazed, golden and translucent morsels suitably perfect for a cobbler or pie, but they don’t melt into a pasty mess. Local autumn harvest festivals celebrate the world’s oldest fruit, in many decadent ways. And they have the right idea: Fritters, doughnuts, pies, cobblers, caramel-candied and ciders are delicious ways to sample the fruit that promises to keep the doctor away, but you may want to try them raw first.