The combination of cool weather and farmers markets have me thinking about apples.  Ok, I’m not just thinking about them, I’m eating them – a lot of them! And it’s only going to get worse – baking season is right around the corner. There’s nothing better than apple desserts during the fall.  From pies, crisps and tarts to cakes, crumbles and turnovers, I’ll be posting a lot of recipes over the next few months (and going to the gym regularly).

I figured that I would take a break from my apple noshing and pay tribute to some of my favorite varieties – what are your favorites?!

Honeycrisp - medium sized, redish-orange in color, crisp and sweet.  Use for eating and cooking.

Idared – medium to large in size, red glossy skin, crisp flesh and a flavor that improves with storage.  Use for eating, cooking, sauces and salads.

Gala - medium sized, yellow skin with red stripes, very sweet and aromatic. Use for cooking and salads.

McIntosh – medium to large in size, green with red blush in color, juicy and tender.  Use for eating, cooking and sauces.

Fuji - large in size, firm red skin, sweet and juicy.  Use for eating and cooking.

Idared, Honeycrisp and McIntosh