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Here Comes Honeycrisp Apple Season!

comments (4) September 10th, 2010

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ChrisMcLaughlin Chris McLaughlin, contributor
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Heres the famous Honeycrisp apples next to one of its parents, Macoun.   Photo by thetbone under the Creative Commons Attribution License 2.0.
This isnt a great image but I wanted to show how the color can sometimes be very rosy instead of red.   Photo by bloomsberries under the Creative Commons Attribution License 2.0.
Heres the famous Honeycrisp apples next to one of its parents, Macoun.   Photo by thetbone under the Creative Commons Attribution License 2.0.Click To Enlarge

Here's the famous Honeycrisp apples next to one of its parents, Macoun.

 

Photo by thetbone under the Creative Commons Attribution License 2.0.
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To be fair, here comes the entire apple season. Still, each apple variety has its peak. About one week after McIntosh is ready and a couple of weeks before Red Delicious is ripe, Honeycrisps hit the market. They arrive in late September through early October and then they're gone for another year. It may seem like a small window on the calendar. But, oh, how they're worth the wait.

Honeycrisp is my hands-down favorite apple variety, but then I'm a sweet-apple lover. If your idea of a good flavored apples are those with super tart flavor - you and Honeycrisp aren't going to get along. Some folks describe it as having a sweet-tart flavor, but that's not what I'm tasting. The sweet-like-sugar flesh is enhanced by the fabulous snap it makes as you bite into it. Look up the word "crisp" in the dictionary and you'll see a Honeycrisp apple picture next to it (okay, that's not true).

  More on growing apples in the backyard orchard, plus links to apple recipes...
   
Honeycrisp got its start in 1960 when the University of Minnesota's apple breeding program crossed Macoun and Honeygold  varieties. The fruit's skin is red-mottled over a yellow base and the flesh is cream-colored. The apples we have around here tend to be more of a rose color as opposed to red, though. They are fantastic keepers in the fridge. In fact, they're one of the best for hanging onto their fabulous flavor even after refrigeration.

I'm waiting with bated breath for the apple tree breeders to come up with a columnar Honeycrisp for my suburban farm. Who among you is also a Honeycrisp fan? What's your favorite apple and why?

posted in: apples, Honeycrisp apples, apple season
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Comments (4)

Jacque631 writes: I love Honeycrisp apples and was able to buy them in NJ in January...I guess they stored them...
Posted: 8:55 pm on February 3rd
fun4ktf writes: My husband and I discovered Honeycrisp apples last year. We put up a mess of applesauce using them. The best applesauce we have ever tasted.
Posted: 12:03 pm on August 5th
pabrams52 writes: I just discovered Honeycrisp apples here in Los Angeles. It was a huge revelation and I am enjoying them immensely. I wish the season could be longer but will be buying apples every day until they're gone. I've never experienced a crunch like the Honeycrisps deliver, it's truly a magnificent eating pleasure. It's worth every penny when you know you're going to have a satisfying Honeycrisp.
Posted: 7:49 pm on October 8th
woofer1 writes: I agree, Honeycrisp apples are the favorite with my family. Living in Minnesota, having Honeycrisp apples is one of the positive things about the approaching winter.
Posted: 11:02 pm on September 25th
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