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NRaleighLiberal

(61,860 posts)

43. As I discovered this OP, I was on my last bite of a Roxbury Russet - a mid 1600s

Sun Sep 14, 2014, 09:33 PM

Sep 2014

apple that arose in Roxbury MA. We just got back from the Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello and we purchased a collection of old heirloom types at an orchard near Charlottesville - 1.50 per pound. It was heaven to eat.

There are literally hundreds of apple varieties, many of them in existence for a few hundred years - but they are not easy to find. But...if you could try an Ashmead's Kernel, or Cox Orange Pippin, or Esopus Spitzenburg (Jefferson's favorite) - it is a profound experience (for apple lovers, anyway).

While we were there (I was really fortunate and got to give a few talks/workshops at the festival), we stayed in the same cottage as the man who knows more about apples than anyone, Tom Burford. He told apple stories, I told tomato stories (it wasn't as boring as it probably sounds!).

oh - Red Delicious? NEVER (for me, anyway)! It is certainly red (it has been selected for years for its color), but to me is hardly delicious. And it is in no way comparable to the original Red Delicious, which arose in 1880. The original tree is no more.

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The Awful Reign of the Red Delicious, how the worst apple took over the US & continues to spread [View all] Liberal_in_LA Sep 2014 OP

Hey! I LIKE Red Delicious! BlueCaliDem Sep 2014 #1

it was bred for that tougher skin Liberal_in_LA Sep 2014 #3

Mmm...love that crunch! Then that surprise burst of sweet juiciness right after. BlueCaliDem Sep 2014 #6

"burst of sweet juciness"? try a honey crisp Liberal_in_LA Sep 2014 #15

Are Honey Crisp apples crunchier on the outside? BlueCaliDem Sep 2014 #16

IMO yes the honey crisp are far better however that aside they are also far more expensive cstanleytech Sep 2014 #60

We have two trees in our yard marlakay Sep 2014 #97

Nice, I wish we could grow them here but they are not recommended for my region. cstanleytech Sep 2014 #107

We also planted a couple Honeycrisp. progressoid Sep 2014 #119

What kinda fence did you use? cstanleytech Sep 2014 #134

We have no fence marlakay Sep 2014 #135

Mm we see them all the time outside our house and across the road. cstanleytech Sep 2014 #136

Some cheap plastic mesh stuff from our local building supply. progressoid Sep 2014 #139

If red and delicious arent actually red and delicious, how are we supposed to know Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #30

And the sweetness was bred out because of that brush Sep 2014 #38

Red Delicious apples from the '60s and '70s amandabeech Sep 2014 #53

Yes they do, apples trees are produced by grafting not seeds happyslug Sep 2014 #75

This message was self-deleted by its author amandabeech Sep 2014 #78

I go for trees of antiquity MohRokTah Sep 2014 #93

Engineering didn't make them grainy and mushy. Long-term storage is the culprit. freshwest Sep 2014 #94

Thanks for the info brush Sep 2014 #109

You are totally correct. I grew up in the Hood River Valley surrounded by orchards. The Red OregonBlue Sep 2014 #116

Thanks. That last sentence is a question, that I've asked produce managers. The answer is simple and freshwest Sep 2014 #125

Plebian! Ruffian! lowbrow! Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #26

Hah! BlueCaliDem Sep 2014 #32

What taste? Scootaloo Sep 2014 #54

Not my experience at all - and I've been eating Red Delicious for years now. BlueCaliDem Sep 2014 #129

When I was a kid, before the reds were grown for color and crispness only rustydog Sep 2014 #121

I will not eat that red delicious mealy, disgusting, chervilant Sep 2014 #2

i think it's spelled "mealy" Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #27

Get Lost Cruz.... StevePaulson Sep 2014 #52

I'm taking him BACK! chervilant Sep 2014 #84

i wonder if this is the reason i have never liked apples much compared to other fruits JI7 Sep 2014 #4

I hate them get the red out Sep 2014 #5

Agreed Dirty Socialist Sep 2014 #7

I never buy red delicious. DawgHouse Sep 2014 #8

Honey, Crisp, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smiths cali Sep 2014 #10

Jazz apple! AngryAmish Sep 2014 #62

The perfect apple, to my taste. nt MannyGoldstein Sep 2014 #82

Love all of them. Except Red Delicious. laundry_queen Sep 2014 #89

They are definately my least favorite apple that I have tried. nt ZombieHorde Sep 2014 #9

Galas are wonderful. Manifestor_of_Light Sep 2014 #11

I never paid much attention Jamaal510 Sep 2014 #12

Eating a Red Delicious is like eating wax fruit with a corn syrup injection. enki23 Sep 2014 #13

The skin is so thick and leathery too Populist_Prole Sep 2014 #24

I've had good red delicious apples - but then again - i'm not an apple expert el_bryanto Sep 2014 #14

Red delicious are the jar jar binks of the apple world. JaneyVee Sep 2014 #17

That's stone fucking cold, right there. Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #31

The Macs we get aren't as good as in the past TexasProgresive Sep 2014 #47

And, they discontinued the ipod classic this week Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #49

...Damn. That's harsh. Scootaloo Sep 2014 #55

This message was self-deleted by its author marions ghost Sep 2014 #117

Great, just what we need. Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #18

Great, just what we need Liberal_in_LA Sep 2014 #21

Thats me! Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #22

DUZY! IADEMO2004 Sep 2014 #29

lol. that made me laugh Liberal_in_LA Sep 2014 #34

In all fairness, I'm not terribly impressed with Red Delicious apples either. Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #42

Have you had honeycrisp? tammywammy Sep 2014 #66

I think I have.. honestly I lose track. Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #88

Honeycrisp? Aerows Sep 2014 #103

Is it snobbish to Cha Sep 2014 #101

Just don't ask me to pay fucking $3.50 for an apple, mmkay? X_Digger Sep 2014 #19

Dont be bagging on the yoga pants Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #25

I work at a hotel and Red Delicious apples are standard. RoverSuswade Sep 2014 #20

I have never seen a delicious apple growing here in Washington Generic Other Sep 2014 #36

They also have a long shelf life. progressoid Sep 2014 #120

Bingo! RoverSuswade Sep 2014 #143

I like Granny Smith Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #23

Haven't eaten one in years. So many better apple varieties available, now. Paladin Sep 2014 #28

Honey Crisp is the holy grail of apples in our household bhikkhu Sep 2014 #35

Honey Crisps showed up 10 days ago at the local store Omaha Steve Sep 2014 #61

As a Newyorker I have to say... amerikat Sep 2014 #33

I agree yourmovemonkey Sep 2014 #56

Fuji Fan. libdem4life Sep 2014 #37

Thinking of buying Fujis for my apple salad. deafskeptic Sep 2014 #41

I still pine for Jonathans. The season here was short, but oh so glorious! Demit Sep 2014 #39

Second that motion on Jonathans; Winesaps (when you can find them), Arkansas Blacktwig . . hatrack Sep 2014 #50

I have a Jonathan in my back yard. RoverSuswade Sep 2014 #70

McIntosh, Winesap, and Jonathans Botany Sep 2014 #79

They are the first to get ripe at our place, but the birds get most of them. AnotherDreamWeaver Sep 2014 #115

I find the anecdote about destroying the apples to be awful mythology Sep 2014 #40

Maybe you aren't old enough Curmudgeoness Sep 2014 #48

As I discovered this OP, I was on my last bite of a Roxbury Russet - a mid 1600s NRaleighLiberal Sep 2014 #43

I wish I could have gone to that festival TuxedoKat Sep 2014 #108

If you're in New England, try to find Northern Spy apples Warpy Sep 2014 #151

Let the apple wars if DU commence. aikoaiko Sep 2014 #44

. NRaleighLiberal Sep 2014 #45

Mmmm. Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #46

There are near 8000 snowgypsy Sep 2014 #51

I prefer red delicious, the only ones I buy unless making a salad and it calls Thinkingabout Sep 2014 #57

I liked the Gold Delicious better. Fuji and Gala are the ones I end up buying. Too many of the Red alfredo Sep 2014 #74

I find them crunchy and juicy, when old they tend to get mealy. Thinkingabout Sep 2014 #83

It's a crap shoot. alfredo Sep 2014 #96

For eating out of hand, it's Golden Delicious for me Warpy Sep 2014 #152

That reminds me, I have some granny smiths. alfredo Sep 2014 #153

Oh, great. More red privilege bashing. Orrex Sep 2014 #58

Give me an Ambrosia apple any day. Thor_MN Sep 2014 #59

If you ever get to try a Ginger Gold or Blushing Gold do it! Cobalt Violet Sep 2014 #63

I adore Ginger Golds LadyHawkAZ Sep 2014 #76

Macouns are Unbeatable! adirondacker Sep 2014 #64

Unbeatable? Have you ever tried.. gvstn Sep 2014 #114

Golden Delicious PatrynXX Sep 2014 #65

Red delicious? Blech! BlindTiresias Sep 2014 #67

Cheap apples can be used for juice or applesauce IronLionZion Sep 2014 #68

My homemade applesauce Lifelong Protester Sep 2014 #69

Homemade applesauce is the best! Enthusiast Sep 2014 #110

O.K., I bit into this link & the answer is: Cosmetic "red" marketing. Don't click. Save time. n/t UTUSN Sep 2014 #71

FUJI FUJI FUJI!!!! n/m ProudToBeBlueInRhody Sep 2014 #72

Pippins out before Thanksgiving...Apple Pie... Tikki Sep 2014 #73

I will always love the Honeycrisp Aerows Sep 2014 #77

My kid's favorite, favorite show. We can't wait for the 4th season. nt msanthrope Sep 2014 #98

I can't wait for season 4 either! Aerows Sep 2014 #102

Spoiler....possible spoiler....... msanthrope Sep 2014 #106

It will be disastrous Aerows Sep 2014 #130

I thought to add this to the other post Aerows Sep 2014 #132

Spoilers..... msanthrope Sep 2014 #133

Stow your bags Aerows Sep 2014 #142

OMG, did we just bond? n/t Aerows Sep 2014 #144

Not only did we bond, but I am in complete and utter agreement msanthrope Sep 2014 #147

Clue me in on what a "Pam" means Aerows Sep 2014 #150

"Vampire Pam" Aerows Sep 2014 #149

it beat the hell donco Sep 2014 #80

There used to be over a thousand types of apple grown in America. GETPLANING Sep 2014 #81

Funny thread to me! cilla4progress Sep 2014 #85

Fuji is my favorite - as others have said here, RD is mushy and mealy, closeupready Sep 2014 #86

Wonder how many people read this and think red delicious apples are disgusting / beneath them now, chrisa Sep 2014 #87

I was just asking myself if I liked them or not. Inkfreak Sep 2014 #91

I HATE the Delicious. It's way too tart or something. Not as sweet as valerief Sep 2014 #90

Honeycrisp or Pink Lady is the way to go. Pisces Sep 2014 #92

I like Pink Lady and wouldn't touch a Red Delicious. nm rhett o rick Sep 2014 #95

RD's suck, I miss Winesaps and Northern Spys. beam me up scottie Sep 2014 #99

Woody, flavorless, and certainly not delicious. longship Sep 2014 #100

i had some small early red ds that were dedible, but yeah. crap + IT GIVES PEOPLE pansypoo53219 Sep 2014 #104

what this thread need are some apple recipes! cali Sep 2014 #105

When the Red Delicious is gone you'll be sorry! Enthusiast Sep 2014 #111

I like red apples shenmue Sep 2014 #112

I was raised on Golden and Red Delicious. Orsino Sep 2014 #113

Braeburns marions ghost Sep 2014 #118

I detest the Red Delicious apple Horse with no Name Sep 2014 #122

Red Delicious - like biting into a large sugar packet. HughBeaumont Sep 2014 #123

Different varieties of apple are good for different things frazzled Sep 2014 #124

I lucked in when I bought my house OnlinePoker Sep 2014 #126

Only because of it's looks. louis-t Sep 2014 #127

Long-lived Lounge thread KamaAina Sep 2014 #128

thanks. didnt see it Liberal_in_LA Sep 2014 #138

based on the responses on this thread..... Sheepshank Sep 2014 #131

.. Liberal_in_LA Sep 2014 #140

WARNING.....WARNING......BEWARE.... whistler162 Sep 2014 #137

Unless there has been a change most of the red delicious sold in stores arent engineered. cstanleytech Sep 2014 #141

All apples variants are engineered. whistler162 Sep 2014 #146

I suggest you read up on the definition of GMO and what it is and is not cstanleytech Sep 2014 #148

I hate to be that dude with facial hair and a hat who talks about heirloom produce, but... Recursion Sep 2014 #145