It may be the middle ofblueberry,melon, and—soon—tomatoseason, and yet you can't help it: You find yourself looking ahead to apple season, the season when you throw on a sweater, jump in the car, and watch the leaves change as you pick apples as crisp as the fall air.
This is totally normal and nothing to be ashamed of. But it's also unnecessary. You don't have to look ahead to apple season. Because apple season is actually already here.
Summer apples are an overlooked class of apples that come into season in late July and early August. They've got yellow skins and intense flavors—much more tart and savory than their autumnal counterparts.
Todd Nichols ofNichols Farm in Marengo, Illinoishas been farming for three generations and experimenting with summer apples for 38 years. “Summer apples are all about freshness,” he says. And these are four of the freshest varieties at the markets right now:
买了在其鼎盛时期一样,这些看起来像一个闪亮的少version of Granny Smith. Created in 1924 as across between Yellow Transparent and Montgomery, this variety of summer apple shows up in many farmer’s markets during the last weeks in July. They’re green and tough-skinned, with a tart, almost lemony flavor. Chop them and mix them intoa chicken salad.
Dating back to Russian origins in the 1800s, yellow transparents have apale yellow skin with white and greenish dots. Depending on where you are in the country, you may start seeing these in mid-July. Look for smooth skin that’s practically transparent when it’s ripe. The fruit is roundish, conical, and mildly acidic—and it’s perfect for a tart snack, in an applesauce, or for juicing.
Think of this as your gateway summer apple: It's asweeter varietysimilar to Golden Delicious. Look for Pristines that are yellow with a red blush.
Whereas many summer are a shade of pale yellow, Red Astrachans (introduced in the U.S.A. in 1835) explode with a deep red color that's broken up with streaks of pink. When cooked, these have a pronounced quince (not to mention a reddish hue).
(A few other summer apples to keep an eye out for:Chenango Strawberry,Carolina June,St. Lawrence, andSummer Rambo.)
Summer apples only stick around for a few weeks, and they don't keep forever. Left on the countertop, they'll turn mealy in just few days. Refrigerated, they'll last a little longer. Still, you want to eat these guys pretty quickly. And why not? More apples are just a few weeks away.
