I don't have any apple trees bearing right now, but a couple years ago I went to a commercial orchard and asked what type to use for applesauce. The woman there told me a certain type so I bought a bag. The apple sauce was not good.

So, in light of that, what type of apples do you prefer for certain recipes? For example, for applesauce, what do you prefer? For apple pie filling, which type? Etc.

Thank you.

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), August 22, 2000

Answers

Chunky Applesauce: Cortland, Paula Red, . Baby food applessauce: Arkansas Black, Paula Red, Empire. Pies: Stayman winesap, Rome beauty, Paula Red, Idared. Eating: Winesap. Apple flappins: Granny Smith. Apple Gooey: Any little sour early apple. Juice: Winesap,Gala. R, If you're in Indianapolis in late summer to early fall, you might go to Adrian's Orchard, they have the best cider in teh world, and they've been in business many years.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), August 22, 2000.

For a good all purpose apple, I prefer Golden or Yellow Delicious. Gala runs a close second, but tends to cook down more in pies, etc...

Yellow Delicious store well, are good in pies, stewed, baked, fried, for sauce, in dumplings, fresh eating, freezing and canning. I like to make spiced apple rings with red hot candies, and these hold together better than others.

Don't waste your time with a Red Delicious - IMHO they aren't even fit to eat fresh. They do make a good base (no more than 1/2 the fruit) for cider though.

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), August 22, 2000.

I prefer the golden delicious apple for apple crumb pie. I like the ones with a slightly red blush on top. If you can find them fresh and juicy in October and November, then make a pie you'll never forget.

-- Stephanie Masters (ajsd@gateway.net), August 22, 2000.

Stephanie, will the pie stay "full" looking? Seems my apple pies always have a layer of air between the filling and the top crust. Thanks everyone!

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), August 23, 2000.

Stayman's for the pie filling. Golden/Red (more Golden though) Delicious for the sauce. If you mix just the right amount of Golden and Red's, you get a nice pink sauce (sorta a trademark among my family). My mother has always said that most people use Granny Smith's for their sauce. Why bother using Granny's if you have to dump in 600+ cups of sugar? I'd rather use the Delicious variety and add no sugar.

The Stayman's hold up well for making pies. I just can my filling and then dump a quart jar in a pie shell and bake with a crumb topping. Yummy!

-- Misha (MishaaE@aol.com), August 23, 2000.

Cindy,

When I used to live and work in Indianapolis, a group of us from work would make an annual pilgrimage to Adrian's for the cider. I love apple cider and Adrian's had the best I ever tasted. Now I live north of Indianapolis and although I still go down there about twice a month, Adrian's is still a bit south for me to wander yet. But I haven't thought about it in a long time, maybe I will go next time I am down there.

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), August 23, 2000.

R, We live about 2 hours from Adrian's. I usually plan a couple trips to Indy in the fall to visit kids or friends, I go to the orchard then. We buy several gallons to freeze and bring back some for friends. Last year I took my kids out to eat and bought them apple cider for their Christmas present. Think that will become a tradition. Can't think of a yummier thing to do.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), August 23, 2000.

The pie does stay full looking because I don't use a top crust of pastry. The pie has a crumb topping. Very good. I'll send the recipe to you personally if you like.

-- Stephanie Masters (ajsd@gateway.net), August 23, 2000.

The best applesause I've ever had was made from Gravenstein apples. Second best was Yellow Transparents. The only kind I will buy from the store is made from McIntoshes -- the others, made from Red Delicious I think, taste like wet sawdust in comparison. Macouns and Duchess of Oldenburg also make good applesauce. These are all early apples and cook down a little too much for a pie, but taste really good. Make good apple butter, too. We've made good cider from the Duchess and Macouns, but they really need a few crab apples mixed in.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), August 23, 2000.

Here in Maine, and I suspect almost everywhere, the best applesauce is made of a mix of apples. For eating, there is nothing better than a Tolman Sweet or my favorite, a Roxbury Russet. Lots of luck finding either! Pies are less demanding, and many varieties work for me. In conclusion, I believe that applesauce and cider are best when there is a mix of apples involved. GL!

-- Brad (Homefixer@SacoRiver.net), August 23, 2000.

Cindy, I'll have to disagree. The BEST orchard is the one we have locally, called Appleworks, in trafalgar, Indiana. They will bend over backwards to be helpful, and give lots of free samples. They grow a LOT of older varieties, too, and veggies, in season. They also have a a Highland fair every fall that is LOTS of fun!

I like Galas for eating out of hand, but Granny Smiths make the best pies!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), August 24, 2000.

Leann, that would have to be some mighty fine cider to beat 90 years experience. How far is that from Brown County? Might make a nice afternoon trip. I don't know if Nysewander(sp) is still in business, but they had some good cider too. Too often cider will taste like vinegar.When we were little we went to Brownings orchard, I think that was southwest of Indy. Have you heard of it? A drizzly cold afternoon, sitting close to the fire, drinking cider and eating yeast doughnuts. Or hot cider with cinammon in it.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), August 24, 2000.

Hi, Cathy...we live in Brown County, and it is just 20 minutes from us, inbetween Trafalgar and Peoga. I believe it might be Johnson county, but JUST inside, if it is. Close enough I make fairly frequent runs to buy apples; their fresh ones have us spoiled, and I don't ever remember their cider tasting vinegar-y!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), August 24, 2000.

Hello from the Yakima Valley. The apple capial of the world. Try Jonagold apples for sauce and pies. Its a cross between a Golden Delicious and a Jonathan. I also like grevenstein for pies. Millers Nursery in N.Y. is a good source for antique apple trees. I've been very happy with the trees they've sent me.

-- Martha Matthews (marthafromwa@webtv.com), August 24, 2000.

I am rather partial to Duchess of Oldenberg...my grandmother had a tree that served the whole family of relatives for applesauce,pies, canning, and fresh eating (northern Wisc. zone 3). For the person whose pies have 'airspace' at the top, I used a recipe years ago that called for a fairly firm cooking apple. You poach the apple slices in a frying pan in syrup (simple sugar is ok, but I like it with maple syrup) and spices until slices are tender. Cool on plate, then pile into pie shell as normal, add however much of the syrup (w/tapioca or cornstarch if you like) you also like in the pie and bake. It takes a lot less baking time since the apples are already cooked, and since they are cooked, they don't deflate any further.

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), August 25, 2000.