Kiyokawa Family Orchards: Apples

Apples

Sprays and chemicals:
We make every effort to offer you the cleanest, most healthful product possible. This includes judicious use of agricultural chemicals, properly timed and carefully targeted. While you may wish to wash our fruit, there will be no harmful residues left at harvest time.

Waxy coatings:
All apples have a natural waxy coating that protects them from drying out. About half of this coating is washed off in commercial processing, so commercially grown apples are waxed to protect them from drying and shriveling.

Lenticels (white spots):
Apples are living, breathing organisms. To breathe, the apple takes in oxygen from the atmosphere and puts our carbon dioxide, most of this gas traveling through small pale vents, called lenticels, which are visible as small dots on the skin. Apples continue to ripen after being picked. Acids are metabolized for energy, starches converted to sugars, colors turn warmer, and a sweet fragrance is exhaled.

Russets:
Russets are often old-fashioned varieties once popular with home growers. Since commercial growers and marketers thing people find russeting unappealing, these apples aren't grown commercially. As a group, russets tend to be spicier and have more character than the average apple. Their flavor often develops for several months in storage, lingering through to the following Spring. The rough skin under a microscope is porous, which is why russets need humid storage conditions to keep them from shriveling, even though they are usually fine Winter keepers.

Storing apples at home:
The ideal temperature for storing apples at home is between 32-38°F with high humidity. Conditions such as this can be closely met by storing apples in a plastic bag in the crisper section of the refrigerator.

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APPLES	DESCRIPTION
Akane (Tokyo Rose)	With a sprightly tart, sweet taste and aroma, this beautiful apple comes highly recommended as a dessert apple. The fine textured, bright white flesh, which contrasts nicely with its red skin, is juicy and crisp. Akane also cooks well, and if the peel is left on while cooking applesauce, the sauce will be colored a delicate pink. Also good for drying. This is an early apple you will want to savor in its prime at harvest as its quality decreases in storage. Origins: Jonathan X Worcester Pearmain cross, Introduced in Japan in 1970. Availability: Sept. Mid Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Ambrosia	Crisp, juicy, cream-colored flesh is sweet and aromatic, with an attractive red blush and faint stripes on a cream or yellow background. Excellent for fresh salads as the flesh is slow to oxidize (brown). Origins: A chance seedling found in southern British Columbia. Its probable parents are Golden Delicious and Starking Delicious. Availability: Oct. Early Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Arkansas Black	Thought to be a seedling of Winesap, this is a distinctive apple with its attractive, dark, waxy skin and juicy, firm, crisp golden flesh with a notable aroma. It lends itself to cider (providing tartness in the blend) and is suited for cooking. This late variety is an excellent keeper, gaining flavor in storage. Origins: Originated in Benton County, Arkansas around 1870. Availability: Oct. Late Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F, flavor improving in storage.
Ashmead's Kernel	Considered one of the finest flavored of all apples, this old variety apple will give you an idea of what apples were like 300 years ago. Under its unassuming russet skin is the crisp, juicy flesh with a sweet, sprightly, nut-like flavor that may be considered a little sharp to some. Try this apple fresh, for cooking, sauce, and in cider. Origins: Ashmead's takes its name from the Cloucester, England physician who grew it in the 1700's. A kernel is a fruit seed, or a tree grown from seed. Availability: Oct. Mid Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F, flavor improving in storage.
Belle de Boskoop	This is among the world's best-known russet varieties. The firm, crisp flesh is a pale yellow-green in color, tart, and somewhat dry, and highly flavored. Its flavor may be daunting until it has had a chance to mellow and sweeten after harvest. Then it is outstanding for cooking, baking, and as a dessert apple. It remains popular in its homeland and in Germany. This late apple is an excellent keeper. Origins: Named after a small community in Holland where it originated in 1854. Came to America a couple of decades later. Availability: Oct. Mid Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F.
Benoni	This small red-flesh apple packs a tart punch. Its orange yellow skin is stippled with deep red. The flesh is tender and juicy, excellent for fresh eating and dessert. Origins: Dedham, Massachusetts 1832. Availability: Aug. Late Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Braeburn	"Breaking" and "crisp" are used to describe the texture of this excellent late season apple. The balance of high sugars and acidity give it a sweet-tart flavor that is one of the best. The juicy flesh is great for fresh eating, and does not brown quickly when cut, making it an acceptable salad apple. Its flavor loses some of its complexity when cooked but the tartness remains as well as its shape. Adding to its merits are its excellent keeping qualities. Origins: A chance seedling from New Zealand introduced in this country in 1952. Availability: Oct. Late Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F.
Cameo (Carousel)	The creamy white flesh of this apple is crisp and crunchy and the flavor is sweet, with just a hint of tartness. It shows almost no browning when cut, making it a good dessert or salad apple. Storage qualities are very good, its flavor improving with storage. Origins: Found as a chance seedling in a Red and Golden Delicious orchard in the Wenatchee River Valley of Washington State in 1987. It is speculated that Cameo might be the accidental hybrid of Winesap and Delicious, which may explain why its shape resembles a Red Delicious, but without the bumps on the bottom. Availability: Oct. Mid Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F, flavor improving in storage.
Cortland	Larger, yet less tart than its parent, the McIntosh, the Cortland has thin skin covering paper white, tart and tangy, extremely juicy flesh. Unusually slow to brown after slicing, this apple is excellent as a salad apple. Holds its shape well in baking. Origins: McIntosh X Ben Davis, developed by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in 1898. Availability: Oct. Early Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Cox's Orange Pippin	Once England's favorite apple, Cox's Orange Pippin has a rich, nutty, outstanding blend of sugars and acids that give it a sweet-tart taste. Beneath its red and yellow russet skin is the firm, juicy, intriguingly aromatic flesh that is best savored as a dessert apple but is also good for sauce, cider, drying and freezing. Origins: In the early 1800's Richard Cox of Bucks, England, noted an exceptional tree among others he had planted. He gave it the name Cox's Orange Pippin, which comes from his name, its unusual color, and an old term that signifies this is an apple raised from seed. It's characteristics are so favorable that its personality and name can be found in many successful crosses (read on!). Availability: Sept. Late Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Criterion	Taking the best qualities from its parents - its genetic mix includes Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious, and Winter Banana - Criterion is a great all-around apple. Its juicy honey-sweet flesh is good for eating fresh, for cooking, freezing, and drying, and because its flesh resists browning after cutting, it's an excellent choice for salads and fruit trays. Origins: Discovered as a chance seedling near Parker, Washington, introduced in 1973. Availability: Oct. Mid Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Earligold	Medium size, clean yellow skin. Limited shelf life. Origins: Chance seedling; Selah, Washington. Availability: Sept. Early Storage: Up to 1 month at 32-38°F.
Elstar	If you like a tart apple and missed the Gravenstein harvest, Elstar may satisfy your taste buds. Its firm flesh has a unique, intensely sweet-tart, aromatic flavor that is very good for fresh eating, sauce and baking. Origins: Golden Delicious X Ingrid Marie (which is half Cox's Orange), developed in the Netherlands in the 1950's and introduced to America in 1972. It is still very popular in Europe. Availability: Sept. Mid Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F, flavor developing and mellowing with storage.
Empire	A good all-purpose apple, a cross between the popular varieties Red Delicious and McIntosh. It is superior in color, flavor, and storage qualities to the parent it most resembles, the McIntosh. Its crisp, tender, dessert-quality flesh is juicy and aromatic. Empire is best for fresh dessert and it is sweeter than it is tart and can be used for cooking, frequently added to cider blends. Origins: Red Delicious X McIntosh, originated in New York and introduced in 1966. Availability: Oct. Mid Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Fiesta (Red Pippin)	An excellent new dessert apple that comes to us from the UK. Fiesta has the sweet, tangy and refreshing flavor of Cox's Orange Pippin and is a grower's delight with disease resistance and heavy productivity. The apple is crisp and juicy and at its best eaten straight off the tree. It is a good keeper. Origins: Cox's Orange Pippin X Idared, developed in the UK in 1987. Availability: Sept. Mid Storage: Up to 1 month at 32-38°F.
Fuji (see also: Mountain Fuji)	This late maturing apple is a good one to bring home from the orchard now and enjoy at your leisure for months to come. It has outstanding storage quality and has excellent shelf life even at room temperature. Thick skin covers the firm, crisp flesh that is rich and delectably sweet with a superb crunchy texture and unique aroma. It is best for fresh eating and can be used for cooking but has a tough skin and flesh that will take longer than average to soften. Origins: Developed in Japan in 1962 from two American parents, Ralls Janet and Red Delicious. It was so extraordinary, the Japanese honored it with the name Fuji, after Japan's tallest and most sacred mountain. It has become Japan's most popular apple. Availability: Oct. Mid Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F.
Gala	An attractive, heart shaped apple with distinctive yellow-orange skin with red stippling, in a convenient size for packing in a lunch or enjoying for a snack anytime. Gala has a crisp, sweet taste with a balance of tartness, and firm flesh with good aroma. It is best for eating fresh, drying, or in cider, as it loses some of its taste when cooked. Gala is at its best when it is fresh in the Fall and available locally as it does not hold up in storage as well as Fuji, Braeburn, or Mutsu. Origins: Developed in New Zealand in the 1920's as a cross between Golden Delicious and Kidd's Orange Red, but the apple was not named and introduced until the 1960's. Availability: Sept. Early Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Ginger Gold	Come early for this treasure and enjoy it while it lasts. Ginger Gold is the best of the early goldens and ripens 6-8 weeks earlier than mid-season varieties. Its firm, crisp, juicy flesh has been described as refreshing and "spicy," and it drips with sweetness. Origins: Found as a chance seedling of unknown parentage in the Virginia orchards of Clyde and Ginger Harvey in 1982. Availability: Sept. Early Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Glocken Apel	Availability: Oct. Late Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F.
Golden Delicious	It is hard not to like this apple - thin skinned, firm, crisp, juicy flesh, and a distinctive mellow flavor and aroma - making it an all-around winner in the kitchen, for fresh eating, and in cider where its distinctive aroma carries over into the cider. Store Golden Delicious refrigerated in the crisper or plastic bag to avoid shriveling and they should keep well. Handle gently as they bruise easily and remember that if you pick this apple when it is golden, it will surely be delicious. Origins: Unrelated to the Red Delicious, probably began as a chance seedling between two old cultivars, Grimes Golden and Golden Reinette, in West Virginia in the early 1900's. Availability: Oct. Mid Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Golden Supreme	This sweet, flavorful, smooth-textured apple is preferred as the eating and cooking Golden Delicious. Large and golden with a pink blush. A good storer in addition to an excellent cooking apple. Availability: Sept. Mid Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Granny Smith	This is a popular and wll-known variety, easily recognized by its bright green skin with lenticels (white spots, see note on left). Granny Smith offers mouthwatering tartness and a crisp bite. Apples that have a yellowish cast to the skin will be sweeter than those that are solid green. The fruit is firm and bruise resistant, gaining sweetness after storage. It is a late maturing apple and a good keeper, staying fresh in cold storage through Winter and Spring. Origins: It is said that this seedling was found in Marie (Granny) Smith's orchard near Sidney, Australia in the late 1800's. Availability: Oct. Late Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F.
Gravenstein	Unexcelled for cooking, the Gravenstein makes wonderful pies, desserts, sauces, and cider. This Summer apple matures early - late August to early September, and has a short storage life of up to two months refrigerated. It has a crisp bite and tangy flavor and the flesh cooks apart quickly into juicy sauce with rich flavor. This is an old-time favorite cooking apple. Origins: Thought to have originated in either Russia or Italy, before becoming established in an area near the German-Danish border. It made its way into the US in the late 1700's or early 1800's. Availability: Sept. Early Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Hanner's Jumbo	The largest apple on record weighed 3 pounds 4 ounces and was grown by the Hanners Family of Hood River, Oregon in 1994. Availability: Oct. Mid Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Hidden Rose	Large greenish-gold, conical shaped apple with striking dark red flesh that is crisp and flavorful. Can be stored until early Spring. Origins: Discovered in Western Oregon Availability: Oct. Mid Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Hokotui	The Japanese say this apple is "better than Fuji" with its high sugar content and excellent flavor. Origins: Fuji X Mutsu Availability: Sept. Late Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Honeycrisp	Described as "explosively crisp," making an excellent fresh eating apple. This new variety created quite a sensation and has become so popular that its distribution has been limited so that more people can experience this exceptional apple. We hope that with increased production, this rationing will become a thing of the past. The flesh is crisp, dense, and juicy with a good balance of sweet and tart and posessing a delicate aroma. Origins: University of Minnesota developed this apple from a cross between Macoun and Honeygold. The original seedling was planted in 1962 and was evaluated in Minnesota and New York before being released in 1991. Availability: Sept. Late Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F.
Hudson's Golden Gem	There is a reason this russet apple is called a "Gem." Its flavor is nutty and the flesh is intensely sweet, juicy, and crisp, something like that of a pear. It may be lopsided and small, but if you shop with your taste buds and not your eyes, you will be rewarded. Origins: Found as a fencerow seedling at Hudson Nursery in Tangent, Oregon - reason enough to give this locally born apple a try. Introduced in 1931. Availability: Sept. Late Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Jonagold	Versatile Jonagold, whose parents are Golden Delicious and Jonathan, is one of the finest dessert and culinary apples on the market. It carries the aroma of the Golden and the lively sweet-tart flavor of the Jonathan. This apple will store in the refrigerator for 3 months but is at its best a couple of weeks after picking (another advantage of buying locally and in-season). There are over 70 strains of the variety and, depending on the strain and climate, the color varies from pale green-gold with a faint red stripe, to solid red. Origins: Golden Delicious X Jonathan, a relatively new American apple, developed in New York and introduced in 1968. Availability: Sept. Late Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Jonathan	You will not need to look far to see the scope of Jonathan's influence in its well-known crosses, most of them identifiable as family members because the names share the first four letters. Its flavor is described as having a spicy tang and the thin, tough skin covers a crisp, fine textured juicy flesh. This variety is good for both eating fresh and for cooking into sauce (but not for baking as it does not hold its shape when baked) and adds spiciness to cider when included in the blend. It is a fair keeper. Origins: Discovered in New York in the early 1800's and is one of the best of the important old commercial apples grown in North America. Availability: Sept. Late Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
King (Tompkins King)	This apple is called the king of apples, for its size and flavor. It was the fourth most popular New York apple in the early 1900's. The flesh is crisp, juicy, and somewhat coarse. It is most often thought of as a cooking variety but its aromatic, rich tasting, sweet-tart flesh is good eaten fresh too. It's a fine keeper. Origins: The first seedling probably sprouted in New Jersey and was brought to New York in 1804. Availability: Oct. Mid Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Lady (Lady Apple)	This small apple has a history that is among the longest of any fruit variety, going back to the 17th century orchards of Louis XIII and possibly beyond that to ancient Rome. In Colonial times, it was a Christmas treat for children. Though often used in centerpieces, garlands, and wreaths, its big flavor will surprise you. What the Lady lacks in size, it makes up for in flavor, having a sunny sweetness with a hint of citrus with flesh that is white, crisp, and juicy. Much of its flavor and aroma is concentrated in the smooth skin. The fruit stays good for several months and can survive freezing and thawing, making it perfectly suited for outdoor wreaths. Use your imagination (mini caramel apples would make a unique dessert) and have fun with Lady. Availability: Oct. Early Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F.
Liberty	Liberty is the most disease resistant apple ever developed, and as its name implies, growers are liberated from spraying this trouble-free apple. The breeders didn't sacrifice eating quality for this freedom, the flesh is sweet, crisp and juicy, and the flavor of this apple increases in storage. It is good for eating fresh, cooking, canning, or desserts. Origins: Developed in New York in 1978 from a cross between Macoun and an experimental variety. Availability: Oct. Early Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Lodi	Fruit is pale yellow flushed with deeper yellow. Flesh is crisp and juicy, flavor is sweet-tart. Ripens later than Transparent and keeps longer. Origins: Montgomery x Transparent; New York, 1942. Availability: Aug. Early Storage: Up to 1 month at 32-38°F.
Lubsk Queen	This is a unique apple possessing shiny white skin kissed with red and pink blushes. The flesh is firm, tart, and juicy, making it ideal for eating out of hand or for sauces and pies. Origins: An old Russian strain introduced in Canada in the latter part of the 19th century. Availability: Sept. Early Storage: Up to 1 month at 32-38°F.
McIntosh	A favorite of North Easterners, many swear by this apple - and for good reason. Aromatic McIntosh has white, tender, crisp flesh that is spicy and full of juice, and a sweet-tart flavor. It is excellent for everyday uses, cooks down nicely in sauces, and makes a good addition to cider, having a balance of sweet and tart. For pies, use it in combination with a sturdier apple, or the filling is apt to be too mushy. It gets soft in storage but the flavor holds up well. Origins: John McIntosh discovered the first McIntosh as a chance seedling in 1796 in Ontario, Canada. McIntosh's good genes can be found in several well-known varieties, including Cortland, Empire, Jonamac, Macoun, and Spartan. Availability: Sept. Early Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Mountain Fuji	This earlier-bearing variety of the famous Fuji apple is unique to Kiyokawa Family Orchard's altitude and climate. Like our other Fujis, the Mountain Fuji has outstanding storage quality and has excellent shelf life even at room temperature. Thick skin covers the firm, crisp flesh that is rich and delectably sweet with a superb crunchy texture and unique aroma. It is best for fresh eating and can be used for cooking but has a tough skin and flesh that will take longer than average to soften. Origins: Developed in Japan in 1962 from two American parents, Ralls Janet and Red Delicious. It was so extraordinary, the Japanese honored it with the name Fuji, after Japan's tallest and most sacred mountain. It has become Japan's most popular apple. Availability: Oct. Early Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F.
Melrose	If you are looking for an excellent baking apple, Melrose is one you will want to try. Its sweet, slightly tart flavor and texture stand up well to baking. The flesh is tender and velvety. When allowed to age several weeks after harvest, its distinctive fruity aroma will develop to its fullest. Origins: Jonathan X Red Delicious, dates back to World War II and is the official apple of Ohio. Availability: Sept. Late Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Mutsu (Crispin)	Mutsu is becoming a favorite of many apple lovers with its crisp, juicy white flesh that has a spicy flavor with a touch of tartness. With its complex flavor, it is best enjoyed as a dessert apple but it also makes tasty sauce and cider. Mutsu matures late and stays in perfect shape for months in storage. Origins: Named Crispin by Western marketers, Mutsu was developed in Japan in the 1930's as a cross between Golden Delicious and Indo, arrived in the US in the late 1940's. Availability: Oct. Late Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F.
Newtown Pippin	Newtown Pippin is the oldest commercially grown native variety in the US and is truly an American classic. The bright green fruit has flesh that is crisp and tender, but not especially juicy. The taste is sweet with a balance of tartness. It makes thick sauce, excellent pies, and is a good addition to cider. Because it tends to brown rapidly when cut, it doesn't make a good salad apple. The Newton stores well, becoming sweeter and richer in flavor during several months of storage. Origins: Newton Pippin is another seedling found in Newton, Long Island between 1700 and 1750. It is supposedly a favorite of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Availability: Oct. Mid Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F, flavor improving in storage.
Northern Spy (Red Spy)	Old favorites such as this variety are being kept alive by growers for customers who appreciate their great flavor and unique characteristics. One reason for their decline is because they do not lend themselves to commercial production or shipping, and other old varieties have been pushed out of the market by the many varieties that have been developed over recent years. Eating and cooking with these apples will take you back in time. Origins: Sprouted from a seed in New York around 1800. The site of the original tree, between Holcomb and Victor in New York, is marked by a bronze plaque. Availability: Oct. Late Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F.
Orin	A delicately sweet, juicy, aromatic apple with a subtle pear-like flavor, it is popular with young and old alike. Yellow skin is blushed red-orange and dotted with conspicuous white lenticels. Excellent for fresh eating, salads, and sauces. Origins: A Golden Delicious cross, comes from Japan (Aomori Apple Research Station), where it is considered a delicacy. Availability: Oct. Late Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Ortley	Known in the South as White Bellflower, the Ortley has creamy white flesh that is tender and tart. Origins: Originated in the 1800's in New Jersey. Availability: Oct. Late Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Pink Delight (red flesh)	A beautiful, large, creamy yellow and red fruit with deep pink and white striped flesh. It is crisp, sweet, and aromatic, making it one of the tastiest of the red flesh varieties. Availability: Oct. Early Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Pink Pearl (red flesh)	Don't let this apple's looks fool you. Beneath the unassuming yellow exterior, you will find pink flesh that is crisp, tart, and aromatic, with a hint of grapefruit. It makes delicious pink sauce or pie filling. A very good storing apple, will keep until January under proper refrigeration. Origins: Descended from an old English variety and was developed in California and introduced in 1944. Availability: Sept. Early Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Red Delicious	With its sweet, mellow taste and aromatic flesh, the Red Delicious continues to be popular (yet controversial) in this country. The original delicious had dark red stripes on a light red and greenish yellow background. "Improvements" such as darker red color and more compact trees that bear more apples have been accompanied by a marked decline in flavor. Harvesting Red Delicious only when the flavor has been allowed to develop on the tree is the best way to assure a sweet, juicy apple. Picking them yourself at a family farm where apples are picked at the peak of perfection is fun too! This variety is best eaten raw or peeled because of its thick skin. It is not a good cooking apple since it doesn't retain its shape when cooked. But with all the varieties available these days, just enjoy this crisp, tasty apple fresh and save your recipes for apples better suited for cooking. Origins: Discovered as a seedling in Iowa sometime between 1868 and 1872. The owner of the orchard, Jesse Hiatt, named the exceptional fruit it produced "Hawkeye." Availability: Oct. Mid Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Red Golden Delicious	Availability: Oct. Early Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Rome, Red	The bright red Rome will catch your eye - and then your taste buds! It is considered by many to be the ultimate baking apple. Like many older varieties, its distinctive flavor becomes richer as it bakes. It is not especially good eaten fresh since the flesh is somewhat mealy-textured when raw. But it is a winner in the kitchen, holding its shape well during cooking. Origins: Named for Rome Township, Ohio, where it originated in the 1820's, and lends its name to many cultivars including Rome Beauty and Red Rome. Availability: Oct. Mid Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Rubinette	This high-quality dessert apple is grown commercially in Switzerland. Beneath its yellow green skin is the crisp creamy, yellow, juicy sweet flesh with an intense honeyed sweet-sour flavor and aroma. Origins: Golden Delicious X Cox's Orange Pippin, originated in Switzerland in 1966 and was made available to the public in 1982. Availability: Oct. Early Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Sansa	Enjoy this early apple fresh, soon after harvest, for a great eating experience. The flesh is firm but tender, juicy, and exceptionally sweet. Origins: Originated through an international effort in 1969. Pollen from the Akane (Tokyo Rose) variety in Japan was sent to New Zealand to cross-polinate Gala blossoms. Because apples grown from seed are notoriously unpredictable, researchers evaluated the trees and fruit for nearly 20 years, releasing the Sansa in 1988. Availability: Sept. Early Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Scarlet Surprise (red flesh)	Surprise your family and friends with this astonishing, unique apple. It's not just a novelty - Scarlet Surprise is one of the most flavorful of the red-fleshed apples. The dark red fruit is bright red inside and the flavor is sweet. Availability: Oct. Early Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Sekai Ichi	As one might expect from a Red Delicious and Golden Delicious cross, this apple is very sweet, crisp, juicy and tender.. This Japanese apple is a choice quality apple sold predominately for gift use. The name translates to "World's Number One," "The Biggest One," or "The Only One." Origins: Red Delicious X Golden Delicious; developed in Japan. Availability: Oct. Late Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Sonata	First known as Corail, then Pinova, now Sonata, this apple has a flavor similar to Golden Delicious, with bright, fluorescent pink red in a partial blush over yellow skin. Origins: (Duchess of Oldenburg x Cox's Orange Pippin) x Gol; Breeding Program, Pillnitz, Germany Availability: Oct. Early Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Spigold	Spigold takes the best qualities from which it was bred, Northern Spy and Golden Delicious. A true connoisseur variety, Spigold is an apple of the highest quality and flavor with crisp, juicy, and aromatic flesh. Origins: Developed and released in New York in 1962. Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Spitzenberg Red Spitzenberg	You will want to try this heirloom apple, with a history going back to the 18th century. It is reported to have been Thomas Jefferson's favorite apple. A couple of old trees at Washington Irving's restored home are thought to have produced fruit for the author's table. Its flesh is crisp and fine-grained, with an aromatic, spicy character. Fresh eating just doesn't do this apple justice, though - the Spitzenberg's flavor is transformed during baking, intensifying and becoming surprisingly rich and full. This apple is another treasure and a true connoisseur's delight. This late apple is a good keeper. Origins: Found in the late 1700s on a farm in New York's Hudson Valley by a Dutch settler named Spitzenberg. Availability: Oct. Late Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Spokane Beauty	Availability: Oct. Mid Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Stayman Winesap	This variety is a close relative of the Winesap, having firm flesh that is juicy and fine-grained. It is tart with a winy character but is less sharp than that of Winesap. This apple has a rich, high flavor when ripe, can be eaten fresh, used for cooking or for cider. Origins: Seedling discovered by Dr. J. Stayman in Kansas in 1866 and introduced in 1895. Availability: Oct. Late Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F.
Swiss Gourmet (Arlet)	Swiss Gourmet's flavor is mild, sweet, and comparable to a Gala. It is best for fresh eating. Origin: Golden Delicious X Idared Availability: Sept. Late Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Tsugaru	Yellow with red blush, the Tsugaru ("SOO-GA-ROO") resembles Golden Delicious, but is firmer fleshed. Origins: Golden Delicious X Jonathan cross from Japan. Availability: Sept. Mid Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Valstar	Availability: Sept. Late Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Winesap	Described as a perfect distillation of a crisp Fall day, the Winesap's flesh is very juicy and aromatic, and the rich flavor is wine-like and strong with a powerful sweet-sour contrast. It is exceptional in the kitchen and its distinctive aroma and flavor survive cooking and enhance any recipe. Origins: Thought to have come from New Jersey and by 1817 it was recorded as an important cider apple in that state. It is unfortunate that it is such a good juice apple that much of the commercial crop is shunted into juice production. With the lower prices growers receive for juice apples, many growers are discouraged from growing the Winesap. But even though its commercial popularity is waning, renewed interest in the old, flavorful varieties with their unique character will encourage small growers to keep their heritage alive. Availability: Oct. Late Storage: Up to 4 months at 32-38°F.
Winter Banana	Is it your imagination or is there really a hint of banana in Winter Banana's rich aroma? Or does the beautiful lemon yellow, waxy skin bring to mind the fruit that bears its name? Other identifying marks are flecks of near-black and bright carmine on the skin and there may be a suture line. This apple's flesh is mild, crisp and juicy. It makes a good dessert or cider apple but is not especially good in the kitchen because some of its character is lost when cooked. This apple does not store well for very long and needs gentle handling to avoid bruising. Origins: Found about 100 years ago as a seedling growing on a farm in Indiana Availability: Oct. Late Storage: Up to 2 months at 32-38°F.
Wynoche	An early apple with full-bodied, delicious flavor. Its thin skin almost disappears when it is baked, making it an excellent fresh eating or cooking apple. Availability: Sept. Early Storage: Up to 1 months at 32-38°F.
Zabergau Reinette	This russet variety (see note on left) is of German origin and looks like a potato and tastes like a nut. The skin on the Zabergau is a russet gold and bronze, its flesh is crisp and white. It keeps well in storage. Availability: Oct. Early Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.
Zestar	Availability: Sept. Mid Storage: Up to 3 months at 32-38°F.