#128 What's your favorite apple?
Let's dive into apple lore
Apples are one of the more underrated fruits in today’s world. You often hear people glorify juicy mangoes, kiwis, watermelons, pineapples, but you rarely hear anyone talk about apples. Yet apples come in SO MANY beautiful shapes, hues, and we cannot forget just how nutritious they are for us.
While the tier list we made was constructed off pure vibes and taste, there’s actually a lot of nuance that we couldn’t quite capture in that list. See, some apples are better for consumption whereas others are better for baking.
What kind of apples should you get?
The type of apple that tastes best to YOU really depends on what you like. Some people really enjoy a sweet apple like a Honeycrisp, while others prefer something like a Pink Lady that has a very distinct tartness to it. Tartness is best described as that “spark” your tongue feels after biting into an apple. It depends on the amount of malic acid an apple has compared to its natural sugars and a Pink Lady has higher malic acid:sugar ratio compared to a Honeycrisp.
This is another reason why flavor profiles of the SAME apple vary, depending on exactly when it’s harvested. Any apple picked slightly underripe will have more malic acid than one harvested perfectly ripe.
In general, most people enjoy tart apples for baking and sweeter apples for raw consumption. Something like a Granny Smith tastes better baked and will not disintegrate into apple slosh like a Honeycrisp would.
Dirty Dozen
Organic apples are worth the premium. Every year, the EWG ranks fruits and vegetables based on pesticide residues found. The top twelve offenders are labelled the “Dirty Dozen” and unfortunately, apples almost ALWAYS make the cut.
This is why you’re better off choosing organic apples. This way, you avoid exposure to synthetic pesticides and sometimes even chemical baths that do great damage to our bodies.
Note: Organic farming MAY still used approved natural pesticides however they’re usually low-toxic, naturally derived compounds that break down really quickly. While some of these fertilizers are still not the most ideal, it’s still a much better option than non-organic apples which are regularly drenched and rinsed in fertilizers before cold storage.
You can literally taste the difference. Non-organic apples often leave this weird, chemical-like aftertaste in your mouth. Not ideal.
Removing that wax film
If you see a whitish film on your apples, that’s a thin coating of food grade wax that’s applied to improve the lifespan of the apple. Technically there’s nothing wrong with consuming it but I like removing it (this is especially common with apples from the supermarket — organic, or not).
Here’s how you quickly remove it:
Mix 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts room-temperature water
Soak your apples for five minutes
Brush and rinse well
On Arkansas Black
Okay, so the thing about Arkansas Black is they’re SO BAD freshly picked. Horrible. Incredibly hard and it’s not sweet at all. If it’s your first time you probably would think there was something wrong with the apple. In fact, there was a time where some people used to think it was inedible!
But hey, after posting that tier list, some Arkansas Black enjoyers have reached out and told me that there’s an Art to it. The Arkansas Black is actually like fine wine — it improves with age so you just have to wait. In a few weeks, or even months, it’ll be much more palatable with a distinct, refined taste.
Arkansas Black apples aren’t meant to be eaten straight off the tree. In fact, the best thing you can do to one is put it in the refrigerator and forget about it until next season. Patient pickers are rewarded with a sweet, firm fruit that offers notes of cherry, cinnamon, vanilla, and coriander, but only after having aged it in cold storage for a few months.
Atlas Obscura
What’s your favorite apple?
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❋ YOU NEED THIS ANCHOVY BUTTER IN YOUR LIFE (AND ON YOUR STEAK)
Ensure your butter is at room temperature. In a food processor, blend the anchovies with the oil from the jar and the lemon juice till you have a smooth paste.
Add the butter and lemon zest and blend till well incorporated and slightly whipped.
Adjust the seasoning with table salt and cracked black pepper
Cook’s note: The more you whip the butter the lighter it will become. You can also roll it into cling film and keep it in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for 3 months. Try this on seared Angus rib-eye steaks or hot oven-baked potatoes. – Hannah Lewry
** replace the anchovy fillets in sunflower oil for anchovies in extra virgin olive oil or anchovies in spring water (wild planet is a great option)
❋ 96 BUTLER PANTRY IDEAS YOU WILL ADORE
Having a butler’s pantry used to be considered a luxury for many people but nowadays you can incorporate one even if you’re on a budget. It’s only a matter of figuring out your specific needs and using the available space as efficiently as possible. Butler’s pantries come in many styles with various purposes. Some can be more focused on entertaining guests and double as a wet bar. Others work better as a catering station. Whether you want to organize your kitchen essentials more easily or wish to bring some extra style to the kitchen, the following butler’s pantry ideas can provide the necessary inspiration.
❋ MODERN COTTAGE HOME TOUR: THE LUNA HOUSE
You know those kitchens that make you want to suddenly start hosting dinner parties and pretending you’re on a cooking show? This is one of them. They preserved the original glass-front cabinetry (because duh), but paired it with custom millwork, a farmhouse sink, and brass fixtures that age like fine wine.
The countertops? Honed marble. The appliances? Smart but discreet, because nothing says “modern heritage” like a fridge that looks like it came from 1920 but actually texts you when you’re out of oat milk.
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Shamelessly loyal to my Granny Smiths.
forever pink lady