Swiss Gourmet (aka Arlet), a cross of Golden Delicious and Idared, was released by the Switzerland Research Station in the early 1980s. It is a very popular variety in Europe, and is rapidly gaining fans in the west as well. A medium sized red apple, Swiss Gourmet has a creamy, juicy texture and a nice crisp crunch, with fine-grained flesh that melts in the mouth.  It is sweet but with enough tartness to keep the flavor pleasantly complex. 

Swiss Gourmet apples are great for eating fresh, and also hold their shape wonderfully when baked, making them a good choice for baked apples or pie.  It is harvested in September in the Northwest, and with refrigeration can be stored until December.  

In the early 1980’s, the Mennell family of the Similkameen Valley in British Columbia discovered a tree in one of their orchards bearing unusual apples. The apples had the general conical shape of the reds and goldens nearby, but everything else about them was different. They tried them, loved them, and decided to try growing them. Today the variety has been patented, tested for disease resistance, fruit consistency, tree vigor, and so forth. All indications are that it is a very good producer and a great choice for farmers and consumers alike.

Ambrosia is well named; it is a delight to look at, to touch, to bite into and to savor. The skin is smooth, with a bright, almost iridescent pink blush over a creamy white background. The flesh is creamy, tender, and juicy, with a very fine, crisp texture. It is a sweet, low-acid apple, with a pleasing aroma. The Ambrosia is a very civilized, refined apple, destined to be loved by connoisseurs of the good life everywhere.

The fruit is large, crisp and juicy, with firm, aromatic flesh. It has a mellow, well-balanced flavor, sweet with just a hint of tartness. The apples are beautiful, with a distinctive dark red blush over a yellow background, frequently with a star-shaped patch of russet on the stem end. As with many heirloom varieties, supplies are limited. If you are a fan of old-fashioned apple flavor, be sure you don't miss these rare gems when they make their all-to-brief annual appearance in our markets each July!

Braeburns have a sharp, crisp flavor; high in both sugars and acidity. The flesh is yellow-green to creamy yellow, breaking and crisp in texture. Doesn't brown quickly when cut, making it excellent for salads. Makes a great sauce with no added sweetening. In Australia, Braeburns are used to make apple-sauce for diabetics. They ripen in October or November.

Because of its flavor, texture and appearance, Elstar is a very good all-purpose apple. It is delicious eaten fresh and also makes an excellent apple sauce.

The Elstar is a fairly new apple. It was developed as a cross between Golden Delicious and Ingrid Marie in the Netherlands in the 1950's. Elstar quickly became popular throughout Europe and was introduced to America in 1972.

Originating in New Zealand in 1934, it was introduced to the U.S. in 1981. Its parentage is from Kidd's Orange Red which was cross of Cox's Orange and Red Delicious. The Gala ripens in late summer, making it one of the first apples on the market. It is best served fresh, as cooking destroys some of its most delightful qualities.

This is the best of the early golden apples. It is sweet, tangy and juicy; consistently scoring very high in taste tests. It doesn't discolor when cut, maintaining its crisp white flesh. The oval shaped fruits are a smooth greenish yellow ripening to an attractive golden yellow with some red blush. Ginger Gold is a perfect multi-purpose apple great for snacking, salads, and baking.

The Golden is highly aromatic, with a sweet and spritely flavor. Fruit is crisp and juicy with almost yellow, honeyed flesh. Skin color is a clue to quality - look for fruit that is pale yellow, not green (premature) or dark yellow (overripe). Goldens posses good eating and cooking qualities and keep well if refrigerated in plastic bag or crisper. They are great for pies and sauces with little or no sugar. Golden Delicious ripens from mid-September through late October, and can be found in stores throughout much of the year.

The Granny Smith originated in Australia in 1868. Mary Ann (Granny) Smith found the seedling (believed to be French Crab) growing in her garden where she had thrown out some apples. She began using its fruit for cooking. The trees were propagated and the fruit marketed. About a century later they were introduced to America where it has grown in popularity ever since.

The Gravenstein is a terrific sauce and pie apple. It is a roundish, irregularly shaped apple with a very short stem. The color varies, but is usually a greenish yellow background covered with broad red stripes. This is the standard for eating quality in summer apples. The Gravenstein is crisp, juicy, aromatic and full of old-fashioned tart-sweet flavor.

The fruit is large and exceptionally crisp and juicy. It is very sweet, with a well-balanced and aromatic flavor, consistently ranking as one of the best apples in taste tests. The apples have a distinctive red-orange blush, sometimes striped, over a yellow background color, with green russeting at the stem end. It stores exceptionally well under normal refrigeration, retaining its distinctive crisp and crunchy texture for up to six months.

HoneycrispTM is an unbeatable flavor sensation! If you like a crisp, sweet, and juicy apple (and who doesn’t?) you don’t want to miss this exciting and promising new variety.

An excellent cooking or dessert apple, it carries the aroma of the Golden with the lively sweet-tart flavor of the Jonathan. The texture is juicy and the flesh is a creamy pale yellow. An excellent culinary apple in salads or with strong cheeses. It makes a fine sauce and excellent sauté. Versatile in character; the Jonagold is sweet but never boring.

McIntosh apples are medium-sized oblong round fruits that are red on a green background. There are many strains available with many color variations from red-striped strains to full red-brown blushed strains.

The flesh is white, soft and fine-textured. The flavor is distinctively tangy and aromatic. This variety is excellent for every day use and is available from fall through early spring.