I love these, but they are nearly unheard of in the US these days. There is an orchard near us in the Hudson Valley specializing in heirloom varietals that has a few trees, but it’s tough to get there during just the right window given the apple’s short picking season. They also grow Esopus Spitzenberg, another favorite that is very hard to find around here, despite having been discovered in and named for a town in the Hudson Valley!
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Snapdragons are newcomers in relatively short supply. I adore them. Sweet-tart with lots of crunch and juice, as if Ma Nature souped up an Empire apple. I find Honeycrisp too perfumey tasting.
When I was in an apple research phase years ago, I learned that the best chance of finding a Red Delicious that isn’t bitter, lesther-skinned, and mealy inside is to choose the ones with greenish yellow striping. That seems to be the key but it’s still the last variety I would select. Macintoshes are crisp and tart in September, after which they gradually get sweeter, but also mushy in texture.
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this thread reminds me of an episode about apples from one of my favorite food podcasts, Gastropod: https://gastropod.com/the-big-apple-episode/
Where are the Gravensteins? I know; they’re mostly a local thing with a short window, but I am vigilant!
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In my garden.
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They are becoming increasingly rare in supermarkets also here in Europe. Problem is that they are not that easy to grow. And most consumers don’t really care about taste.
