Apples come in an assortment of colors and textures, in flavors tart to sweet. With thousands of varieties to choose from, eating "an apple a day" is easy!
Autumn's Apples
Though best in autumn, apples are available year-round. Look for fresh-smelling fruit with blemish-free skins. Store in a dry, cool place. They'll keep best if the individual apples don't touch--it's true, one bad apple spoils the bunch! If you store them in the fridge, keep them away from lettuce and other delicate produce, as apples cause fruits and vegetables to ripen and/or spoil faster.
Look Out for the Overlooked
Of the 2,500 apple varieties grown in the U.S. today, eight account for 80 percent of production. Because they're often grown for the attractiveness of shape and color as much as for taste, it can pay to sample the more exotic varieties found at farmer's markets.
Apples in Art
One of the earliest cultivated fruits, apples have long inhabited legend and literature. There's the Golden Apple of the Trojan War; William Tell and his apple-splitting arrow; Isaac Newton and the gravity-bound apple; and, of course, the often depicted “forbidden fruit” of the Garden of Eden.
Pick the Perfect Apple
Apples come in so many flavors and textures that picking the right type can often make or break your dish. For baking, the best boast firm textures that can take the heat. For applesauce, softer apples are preferred. Read more about apple varieties in Baking with Apples.