Some of the best apples you'll ever taste are grown on New England's rocky soils. Their unique blend of sweet and tart flavors are a product of the region's long, hot summers and crisp fall days. New England apples have outstanding flavor, size, and freshness.
About 40 varieties of apples are commonly grown in New England. The most popular today are McIntosh, Cortland, New England Red Delicious, Macoun, Empire, and Rome. Other popular New England varieties include Crispin (Mutsu), Gala, Golden Delicious, IdaRed, Jersey Mac, Jonagold, and PaulaRed, and antique varieties such as Baldwin, Northern Spy and Pippin.
Apples have a long and vital tradition in New England. Many varieties were discovered here, or go back centuries. The New England apple industry is still largely family-owned. Orchards are an important community resource, adding to our quality of life and preserving open space. A bite from one of our apples is like a taste of New England!
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McIntosh Appearance and flavor: Especially juicy, slightly tart, and the most aromatic of all apples, with two-toned red and green skin. Use: McIntosh is the quintessential New England apple, excellent for every use. History: Discovered as a chance seedling in 1870, the "Mac" accounts for nearly two-thirds of a total New England apple harvest of six million bushels. Ripens: Early September |
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Cortland Appearance and flavor: A large apple good for baking, with a deep, purple-red color. Moderately juicy and fairly sweet. Use: Their white flesh doesn't brown when sliced so Cortlands are an excellent choice for fruit salads, dipping in toppings, or eating with a plate of sharp cheddar cheese. History: Developed in 1898 Ripens: Late September. |
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New England Red Delicious Appearance and flavor: The unique shape of this red apple tapers to a five-knobbed base. Sweet, tender and juicy. Use: Delicious are best for crunching out of hand and in fruit cups and salads. History: Developed in 1872, New England Red Delicious is particularly flavorful. Ripens: Early October. |
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Rome Appearance and flavor: A medium large, bright red, round apple that's slightly tart. Use: Rome is considered one of the finest baking apples available. They are excellent for baked apples. History: First propogated in 1828. Ripens: Mid-October. |
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Macoun Appearance and flavor: With their wine-red color with gold accents, Macouns are highly regarded for their aroma and sweet-tart, juicy flavor. Use: The ultimate desert apple, excellent for snacks and eated fresh. History: Developed in 1909. Ripens: Mid-September. |
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Empire Appearance and flavor: Deep red skin brushed with gold and green. The Empire is mildly tart-sweet and has juicy firm white flesh. Use: A high quality dessert apple, and good for all culinary uses. History: A newer variety introduced in 1966 from McIntosh and Delicious parents. Ripens: Late September. |
In addition to these six most popular varieties there are numerous other varieties of apples grown in our New England orchards:
Baldwin: Pale greenish-yellow flushed with purplish-brown. Juicy, with a tace of sweetness. Stores extremely well. Developed in Massachusetts in 1740. Ripens in mid-October.
Crispin (Mutsu): Gold with red highlights. Good for eating and cooking. Introduced in U. S. in 1968. Ripens in mid-October.
Fuji: Red blush with green and yellow stripes. Crisp, firm, juicy flesh. An excellent keeper. Developed in Japan in 1939. Ripens in October.
Gala: Red-orange, with yellow stripes. A sweet apple. Introduced in 1934. Ripens in mid-August.
Golden Delicious: Golden or light-green, with pink blush. Tender, mellow, sweet. Wonderful fresh and in salads. Developed in 1912. Ripens in October.
IdaRed: Bright golden red. Their tangy taste mellows at maturity. Excellent for all culinary uses. Developed in 1942. Ripens in late September.
Jersey Mac: Bright red with yellow highlights. Good eating apple with aromatic, medium-firm flesh. Introduced in 1971. Ripens in mid-August.
Jonagold: Bright red with gold, Crisp and juicy, Jonagolds are good fresh, in salads, and for both cooking and baking. Introduced in 1968 from Golden Delicious and Jonathan parents. Ripens is September.
Liberty: Red blush. An all-purpose apple. Ripens in early October.
Northern Spy: Large red and green skin, spicy tart flavor. A favorite for apple pies. Developed in 1800. Ripens in late October.
PaulaRed: Solid red, with tart flavor. Equally good for cooking and eating. A relatively new apple, developed in 1968. Ripens in early September.
Pippin: Green with yellow highlights. Tangy sweet flavor. Best for cooking and baking. Dates back to 1700. Ripens in September.
Spartan: Red and green skin. Juicy, tart-sweet taste is good for snacks and salads. Introduced in 1936. Ripens in early October.
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