Since I was 2 years old, it has been a tradition for me to pluck the ripe apples off of the fruit trees at Kuipers Family Farm. At this point, I could become a professional apple picker with the amount of time I have spent in solitary at the apple orchard. Yes, I go with my brothers and parents, but throughout the time among the apples, we eventually drift to find our own path, our own apple row, leaving me in solitary to look up at the apples and the bright sun.
During these seasons (August-September), I would walk through the rows of apples: Honeycrisp, Fuji, Empire, Jonagold, and too many more to name. I have had years to taste test almost every apple in the orchard, gaining the knowledge of the texture, the crisp, and the taste of each apple in order to create a perfect ranking. Keep in mind, none of the apples ranked on this list consist of the disgusting soft texture of the apples they serve at school or Panera, so if that’s what your preference for apples are, this is no place for you. So without further ado, I present to you the top 5 apples served at Kuipers Family Farm:
5. Golden Delicious
Up first, coming in last place on the list (definitely not least), are the Golden Delicious Apples. These apples take after their name extremely well: they’re golden, and delicious. If you like apples that are less tart, this is the perfect apple for you. When ripe, they are extremely sweet and have comparatively little acidity. What makes it even better is the honey, sweet, pear-like aroma that can make almost anyone fall in love with any pie, salad, or sauce you make. Another benefit from these apples is that when making pies or sauces, you can add less sugar because of the natural sweetness!
Personally, Golden Delicious apples are decent for what they are, but if you are like me, I prefer the apples that are crisper, more tart, and are full of flavor.
4. Empire
Next up we have Empire apples. Developed at Cornell University, we know these apples must have some sort of excellency. From personal experience, these apples are best when eaten straight from the tree since they have the right combination of sweet and tart with a very crisp, creamy white flesh. With their beautiful deep red skin, they are extremely versatile and are perfect for apple pies in the fall. Definitely one of the ideal sizes to bring for school lunches.
3. Sweetango
SweeTango, also known as Minneiska, was developed through cross pollination research at the University of Minnesota. With parents of Honeycrisp and Zestar, the apple consists of a sweet apple taste with a slight touch of citrus, honey, and spice, and can ultimately make a delicious cider. Renowned for its strong flavor, Sweetango apples are perfect for cheese boards to make the perfect, most delicious, charcuterie board.
To me, these apples are one of my favorites to pluck off the trees and eat fresh, and can quintessentially satisfy any apple cravings.
2. Pink Lady
Let me say one thing: these apples are gorgeous. Glossy, red, and smooth. They almost blush on the tree. In my opinion, they have the best aftertaste, and what makes it even better, is that these apples have the slowest oxidation rate. Meaning, it takes them a while to turn that icky brown color. These apples also seem to have the longest life of them all: always the first to blossom and last to be harvested. They tend to fall towards the tart side on the apple scale, making them much more refreshing.
1. Honeycrisp
And of course, the one everyone’s been waiting for, at number 1: the Honeycrisp apples! However, unfortunately, Kuipers took honeycrisp off of their apple picking menu since too many people would hound over them destroying the paths and trees in the process because they were just THAT GOOD. It’s just a known fact that honeycrisp apples are the number one because of their crisp, their flavor, and their juiciness. The flesh of the apple has the perfect crisp that isn’t too dense along with the ultimate flavor combination of sweetness and a trace of tartness.
These Honeycrisp apples are both a personal favorite and a worldwide favorite, and when dipped in caramel, this is what true perfection tastes like.
With over 7,000 apple varieties, choosing the top 5 was an extraneous task. So whether you’re searching the store for apples, trying to grow your own, or even better, actually at an apple orchard, keep these favorites in mind and you’ll be especially happy with your results.
What a great topic to address. I enjoyed hearing about your trips to Kuiper’s Family Farm. What a great family tradition to experience. Thanks for sharing the different desserts the apples are best for. This was a great touch. The Sweetango are best for charcuterie boards. Great tip. Great use of pictures as well. Thanks for sharing. Makes me want to go out and have apple pie.
Annie,
I’ve never actually gone apple picking before, but this is making me really want to try. Actually, I think the reason I’ve never gone before is that my throat tends to itch when I eat apples, but looking at these pictures and reading your descriptions makes me think that the itch is totally worth it. We also have an apple tree in our front yard, but I have no idea what apples it grows (they’re green, if that helps?? But sometimes they aren’t??). Reading your ranking, I’m particularly interested in the empire apples, because I can’t say that I’ve ever had one of those before. I’m sure I’ve seen it around, but my family mostly sticks to honeycrisps and fuji apples. I think the honeycrisp has to be a universal favorite for everyone, especially when they’ve been in the fridge for a while and are super crisp.
I loved reading your post about the best varieties of apples. Like you, I would go to the orchards every year with my family. It was a tradition to go get buckets of apples and then eat them for weeks until the thought of apples made us sick. It’s interesting that you would split up and find your own row, as my brothers and I would always stick together. Although usually someone would launch an apple at someone else’s face and end the whole family bonding idea. I think it’s funny how you described the apples, and I can definitely hear your voice through your writing. I would have to disagree though, with sweetango apples being on the list in the first place. Respectfully, they are not good. Anyway, I enjoyed reading your blog and your vivid descriptions are making me really want a fresh apple right now.
Annie, I loved reading your blog post! Apples are one of my favorite fruits (I love eating them with Nutella and peanut butter) and it’s so nice to see them get the recognition they deserve. I used to go apple picking every year with my family but we stopped a couple of years ago, so I love that you have maintained such an amazing tradition with your family! I find it intriguing how you have evolved from doing apple picking with your family to now venturing off on your own, I feel like it allows you to reflect on a more personal level and develop that deeper connection with a childhood memory. The only apples I typically eat are Honeycrisp and Granny Smith, so reading your blog post made me want to go try a Sweet Tango and a Pink lady apple as soon as possible!