NEW ENGLAND APPLE-OF-THE-WEEK:

IT'S CORTLAND TIME!

News from

NEW ENGLAND APPLES

P. O. B 41, Hatfield, MA 01038 www.apples-ne.com 413-247-9966

HATFIELD, MA-Next to the McIntosh, New England's best-loved traditional apple variety may well be the Cortland. Now available in stores and in orchards, the Cortland is the New England Apple of the Week, and supplies are expected to be plentiful throughout the fall and picked fresh over the next few weekends. The peak of the New England harvest has arrived, and the weekend forecast predicts warm temperatures and good picking weather in most of the region. In addition to Cortlands, a number of popular varieties will be ripe and ready for picking, including McIntosh, Macoun, Honeycrisp and Gala, offering a wide range of flavors, shapes, colors and sizes.

A large apple good for baking, with a deep, purple-red color and yellow streaks, Cortlands are considered moderately juicy and fairly sweet compared to the McIntosh. Their white flesh browns very slowly when sliced, making Cortlands a standout for fruit salads and for dipping in toppings. They are a perfect complement to a number of foods, and are excellent served sliced with a plate of Vermont cheddar cheese. More than a century old, the Cortland was developed in 1898 by crossing a McIntosh with a Ben Davis.

Here's a simple, straightforward recipe for the classic Waldorf Salad, from the Joy of Cooking edition from 1953-half a century ago!

Waldorf Salad

For links to member pick-your-own orchards throughout the region, visit the New England Apples website at www.apples-ne.com, or call 413-247-9966.