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• Apples ripe for the picking

‘Tis the season for apple cider, apple crisp, caramel apples and that juicy honeycrisp. Mmm mm! This past week I attended the horticulture club’s apple lab. This shindig had all the favorites — the snow white, perfectly Red Delicious, sweet n’ tart Australian-born and Granny Smith — but also showcased tasty new hybrids, some which were discovered here at Illinois in the 1940’s.

The Prima, Priscilla and Sir Prize apples are all immune to a disease known as “apple scab”, and were created here at Illinois by Purdue and Illinois cultivators. On Em-J’s scale of taste-greatness of 1-5, I give these apples a 4. They're crunchy in texture, and bold in taste.

Ever heard of Corail? Ginger Gold? Cameo? Jonagold? Jonamac? Jazz? These aren’t lady stage names. They’re apples. For instance, the Jonagold apple was created in 1943. It’s a cross of Golden Delicious and Jonathan, and considered an excellent multipurpose apple. They're good for eating and cooking.

These apples are what define the art of enjoying fall. Their bi-color mix of red and green set them apart from perfection, yet their bold taste and impeccable crispness defy any Red Delicious cardboard taste.

Speaking of Red Delicious, when you’re in an awkward conversation that needs an icebreaker, throw out this factoid. You’ll notice that Red Delicious apples most often have “points” on the bottom; they aren’t rounded like most other apples. Well this is because Red Delicious apples grown in Washington state face warm days and cold evenings. Scientists credit these weather conditions for the apples' “pointed-tip” formation. Stick that in your back pocket!

All this apple chat is making me hungry. It’s time for a glass of Curtis Orchard’s finest, accompanied with a delicacy — that honeycrisp.