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Food
Our guide to Autumn's apples
by Sarah Alcock
Is there any other food more English than the trusty apple? Today marks the start of the apple season and the beginning of autumn and that means crumbles, pies, custards, pork & apple sauce and toffee apples are on the horizon. Goodbye salads, see you again next year!
Apparently this year is an absolute corker (geddit?) Why? It's all to do with the weather.
The early spring (remember we hardly had a winter this year) meant all the insects got their act into gear early and pollinated like mad, then came the summer that was actually warm and the chill we had at the end of August meant those reddy apple colours could really come out. All that, along with a load of rain and cold nights have made them super juicy and crunchy. No woolly duds in sight!
There are more new apple varieties in Sainsbury's this year than you can shake a stick at! So what should we be choosing? Here's our quick apple guide so you can go in store and find the apple of your eye!
OUT NOW
Worcester Pearmain – quite coarse texture, but juicy and sweet taste...some say it tastes of strawberry!
Delbarestivale – slightly tart, hint of liquorice. Warning; it's a bruiser
Early Windsor – strong flavour with hint of honey and balance of sweet and sour. Pretty dense.
Zari (brand new) – firm, crunchy, really juicy and very appley (if you can say that)
Pick me
LOOK OUT FOR IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS
Cox – sweet and tart with a hint of honey. Firm but not hard. Everyone knows Cox!
Gala – sweet, crispy but not hard. And 1 in 4 apples bought in the UK is a Gala; that's one popular fruit.
Core blimey
LATE SEPTEMBER
Egremont Russet – dull gold in colour and sandpapery skin texture, sweet and nutty.
OCTOBER
Cameo – sweet with hints of honey and citrus and stores well in the fruitbowl.
Rubens (blink and you'll miss it, late October) – tastes like a Gala but more aromatic.
Big cheese
NOVEMBER
Kanzi – cross between a Braeburn and a Gala. Really great crunch, sugary and tart and quite appley taste.
Jazz – very crunchy, very juicy, strong taste, bit peary!
DECEMBER
Braeburn – crisp and juicy, tangy and sweet, but you knew that already!
And don't forget the trusty Bramley – the biggest and best for cooking! Available all year round but picked in August and September
Try making these apple recipes...
