Tasting Notes: 18 Varieties of Apple

Published on October 29, 2010

Last week at the Locust Grove farm stand at New York's Union Square Greenmarket , there were 18 different varieties of apples for sale. Locust Grove is located in Ulster County, about 100 miles north of the city, and was one of Greenmarket's founding farmers in 1976.

When buying apples, it's easy to get stuck in a rut of choosing the same few apple varieties you grew up eating, but when there are so many local varieties available right now at the Greenmarket, it's worth expanding your apple horizons, which is why we sampled all 18 varieties we could get our hands on.
Some apples are far better suited to baking than eating out of hand, and some are so good fresh that it would be foolish to do anything with them but bite into them immediately. There hundreds of varieties of apples available at any given moment at farmers' markets throughout the country, but here's our take on the dozen-and-a-half types we tried here in NYC.

When selecting apples, look for young, firm apples without any bruises. If you're at your local farmers' market, ask for a sample to taste before you decide. The best fruits will generally be those that are grown nearby and are in season. Not feeling like eating them raw? We've got some great apple recipes to try, both savory and sweet.