Apple Experts?

I just bought 5 half-pecks of apples....and forgot what varieties I got!  I wanted to experiment for our pies and note it for next year.  Any ideas?  

I'm pretty sure the 2nd from the right are the Granny Smith because they are the most green.  The red one next I believe is Stayman.  I know it was tagged "A local favorite."  I'm looking at the Orchard's website at a list of what they grow...the problem is I walked the whole deck multiple times!  I had a good mental note of it there; then had issues getting the kids into the car due to a car "creatively parked" next to us...  

I know one of them is Mutsu (Mustu?).  I thought I got jonagold.  





I should have written it down there!   

Your Mutsu might be the second from the left in the second picture.

The Granny is on the right in the third picture. And that apple next to the Granny might be a Jonagold or an Ida Red.

That gorgeous red in the last picture looks like it might be a Cortland or a Jonathon.

So that first picture? I'm going to say not-sure-of-the-first-one (although it might be a Golden Delicious), Mutsu, Jonagold or Ida Red, Granny Smith, and Cortland or Jonathon.

But the only one I'm really sure about is the Granny. But I do think the second from left is a Mutsu (I dearly love Mutsus, BTW!)

And......what do you plan on doing with your apple bounty?

IMO, you get the absolute best apple pies and apple crisp with a really good assortment of several varieties. And when I used the last of the apples to make sauce on Sunday, I used a good variety. Rick said it was some of the best applesauce we've ever made. (Variety is the spice of life when it comes to apples!)

Sorry, I'm clueless when it comes to ID'ing apples!  I usually buy what's on sale, and prefer softer sweet apples, though not as soft as macintosh ones. My favourite these days is Pink Lady or Braeburn.

Winchester said:

 
But I do think the second from left is a Mutsu (I dearly love Mutsus, BTW!)

And......what do you plan on doing with your apple bounty?

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That's why I chose those!  I figure they must be something special if you go get so many of them!  I am making pies!  We are having an early thanksgiving this weekend and I have some company coming soon too.  I want to mix all the flavors.  Normally I mix Granny Smiths and another sweet apple and it's so good!  But this year I aim to make them "4 apple pies."  If the orchard weren't 40 minutes one way from here I'd go back for some of the winter squash they had out!  Looked so good!  Their website says they grow 29 different varieties of apples...so it was only so much help!  They had to have close to a dozen varieties available now!  

Natalie_ca said:

 
Sorry, I'm clueless when it comes to ID'ing apples!  I usually buy what's on sale, and prefer softer sweet apples, though not as soft as macintosh ones. My favourite these days is Pink Lady or Braeburn.

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I looooove Pink Lady apples!  I just slice and eat!  Or eat with a little almond butter.  We picked Pink Lady's when we took the kids apple picking at this same orchard last month.  So much fun!  Honeycrisp are favorites too.  I also found one at the grocery store called Sweet Tango that is just amazing.  I wish they grew those there!! 

I picked up a package of their Apple Cider donuts while I was there today too.  I figured DH would appreciate a treat like that.  Fresh made every day. The last time we got them they were still warm.    

OMG, apple cider donuts. So, so, so good. 

When my aunt was alive and she would drive down to visit with us, she would always bring a ton of Mutsus with her....I dearly love a Mutsu. They're not as tart as a Granny and they can be quite crisp sometimes. We don't add sugar to our applesauce and the Mutsu seems to be a good apple for sauce and for pies, too. She also brought an apple called "20 ounces" because each weighed that much or over. They were huge, tart, and just delicious in pies. I don't know what the technical name for those apples are; the locals in NY called them 20 ounces. But you're on to something with your 4-apple pies. Those will be just delicious! Don't just make a two-crust pie.....try a nice streusel topping for an apple pie, with butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. And some chopped pecans to add to the mix. It's just delicious....if you like streusel topping, that is.

I parbake my pies. Meaning that I bake them for half the time specified. Then I cool them down, wrap them well, and throw them in the freezer. When I get them back out, I thaw them for a little while (not completely thawed), then bake for an hour or so with the end crusts tucked into a foil collar. Yum. You have a delicious pie in February or March and you didn't have to do much....maybe throw a dollop of French vanilla ice cream over the top.

I want an apple cider donut!

MoochNNoodles said:

   So much fun!  Honeycrisp are favorites too.

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We don't have apple orchards where I live, so apples are pretty seasonal.  Always available are MacIntosh, Granny Smith and red delicious, which I don't like much because I find it kind of bitter and too hard.

In the summer we get more of a variety.  When Honeycrisp are available, I do buy those too.

Here is a link that shows what apples are good for making different things:

http://www.pickyourown.org/apples.htm

Natalie_ca said:

 
We don't have apple orchards where I live, so apples are pretty seasonal.  Always available are MacIntosh, Granny Smith and red delicious, which I don't like much because I find it kind of bitter and too hard.

In the summer we get more of a variety.  When Honeycrisp are available, I do buy those too.

Here is a link that shows what apples are good for making different things:

http://www.pickyourown.org/apples.htm

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Oh I'd be sad if we didn't have local apples!  I used to love watching them make apple cider at a local orchard in the town where my family is all from.  My Grandparents would take me there when I was a kid to buy apples.  My Gram's pies were legendary!  To us anyway!    A few years ago the orchard sold off a big portion and they built a Lowes on the land.    I like Lowes; but really!?  The orchard was at the top of the valley and you could see it from the shopping centers below.  Now you look up and see Lowes.  

The third picture of individual apples, red with pinpoint marks, sure looks like a Stayman Winesap to me.

There was a recent apple cider making event near me and I put an entry on my web site. You can see it here: Cider Making at the Howell Living History Farm

Catapault said:

 
The third picture of individual apples, red with pinpoint marks, sure looks like a Stayman Winesap to me.

There was a recent apple cider making event near me and I put an entry on my web site. You can see it here: Cider Making at the Howell Living History Farm

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Ooh good!  I kept thinking Stayman...but I wasn't sure!  I have to go to my Mother's tomorrow or Saturday so I really may stop by that orchard again for some more squash and to check the apple names!  Hopefully they haven't rearranged!    It already left me feeling like this:   as it was!

That was a really interesting article/entry you have written!  I love the pictures too!  When I would watch at the orchard they had a window you could look through behind the counter where the cider was being made.  A clear tube came through the wall to bring the cider out where they were filling bottles and things.  I think I'll be picking up a jug of their cider while I'm there!!  Last year when we apple picked it was hot out and they were selling apple cider slushies!  Sooo delicious!  (They have some pretty fantastic ice cream there as well!)

Now that my baking is done (for now, more pies in a couple weeks when company comes!) I just happend to go back on the orchard's website.  I clicked the "links" link and found their fantastic chart they keep on the deck to tell you what they have and what is good for what!     It's not perfect; the red apples seem to be more green this year. But it's a help!

I ended up making "5 Apple Pie" pies since I couldn't remember for sure what was what and what was supposed to be for eating.  Oh and I'm sampling the apple crisp I made because I cut too many apples for the pie (gee whiz!) and it's good. Very good.