How Do You Like Them Apples?

There’s No Better Time To Celebrate This Sublime Fruit.

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Ah, the humble, yet shockingly versatile apple. If there were a perfect fruit, this would be it. Whether fresh from the tree, baked into a pie, turned into apple butter or roasted with a pork loin, no other fruit is as multifaceted or delicious, whether dressed up or down.

Nonetheless, the start of this school year ushered in a resurgence of memes about the self-effacing apple on its daily trip out of the house and back to the fruit bowl. Now that fall is finally here and grocery store shelves are overflowing, we’re determined to give our apples the respect they deserve and turn those round-trips into one-ways.

We went to Southlake’s own core of apple goodness, Central Market, for a little guidance on the best apples this month to guarantee that you will actually eat your apple a day. With up to 50 varieties in-store sourced from the best growers around the country, there’s bound to be the perfect apple for anything. However you choose to enjoy these sweetly tart treats, there couldn’t be a better time to find the apple of your eye. These three new unique varieties will have you wishing the season for freshly picked apples was even longer.

LUDACRISP

Sweet enough to be eaten straight out of your hand (and with an arguably brilliant name), this ludicrously juicy and crispy pomme is also perfect when chopped into a salad, shredded into a slaw or mixed into a grain bowl. Some interestingly describe the flavor of this scarlet red variety as being almost reminiscent of Juicy Fruit gum.

OPAL GOLD

This golden yellow hybrid of the Golden Delicious and Topaz is known for its sweet and tangy flavor. While it has enough density and acidity to stand out as a baking apple, it’s flavorful enough to hold its own when showcased with prosciutto and asiago and paired with a cool, elegant sauvignon blanc.

SWEETANGO

A Honeycrisp-Zestar cross, this remarkably crunchy apple has lively hints of citrus, honey and spice. Because it is semi-sweet, it makes a perfect fresh snack on its own. However, if it does wind up back in your kitchen, its extra crunchy texture lends nicely to being baked into tarts, pies and muffins.