Ah, fall. It’s a season marked by a pile of beloved traditions. You’ve just gotta love frolicking in leaves, wearing fuzzy sweaters, sipping your favorite hot beverage, trying pumpkin spice everything and digging into comfort food as the weather cools.
Of course, fall flavors always include apple, because it’s the perfect time to go apple picking. But this year we’re excited about more than just the reddish fruits we can pluck out of the tree, because there are now three(!!!) new kinds ripe for the picking: the Firecracker apple, the Pink Luster apple and the Cordera apple.
These Aren’t Your Average Apples
If you keep up with the latest and greatest in apple news, you’ll already know the Cosmic Crisp apple is coming back this year. But this trio of new fall classics seems destined to steal the spotlight.
The Cordera apple has been around in various iterations for years, but this variety is unique. It is highly disease resistant since it’s impervious to apple scab, which makes it incredibly desirable.
Pink Luster stands out because of its juiciness, its unique tart flavor and smooth skin—it was created to merge hallmark aspects of Honeycrisp and Gala. It’s also the perfect apple to pick right off the tree, since it matures in mid-September.
For bakers and cider-makers (and people who love to eat ’em right off the tree), the standout is the Firecracker. It’s acidic and sweet, and a Cornell professor says it’s perfect for those who “want to go on a culinary adventure.” Yes, please!
Where Did They Come From?
These apples come to you courtesy of Cornell University, which has the oldest apple breeding program in the United States.
What’s really awesome is that Cornell has done an open-release with these new varieties, meaning farms across the country will be able to grow the new apples without licensing exclusivity. So, while you might not be able to sink your teeth into a Firecracker or Pink Luster this season (unless you live in New York or know someone who goes to Cornell), chances are good you’ll be able to add ’em to your pies and ciders in the future.
The post Three BRAND-NEW Apple Varieties Are Coming, So Fall Just Got Even Sweeter appeared first on Taste of Home.
Emily Hannemann