Applefest

At a recent food photography seminar that I attended, I told the L.A.-based photographer that I envied the strawberry figs that grew in her backyard.  She replied, "Yeah, but you have apples...". 

She had a point. Fresh, delicious local apples are all around us here in Minnesota right now.

It's easy to take for granted the plethora of apple options we have available. There are about 7,000 apple varieties grown globally; 2,000 are grown in U.S., with about 100 varieties grown commercially.  Domestically, Washington state dominates apple production.

For a long time, Red and Golden Delicious apples dominated the market.  They were grown for their appearance, shipping and storage characteristics, not necessarily for flavor. Gradually, some international apple varieties were added to the mix at stores, including Fuji, which originated in Japan, Gala from New Zealand, and Pink Lady from Australia.  But some of the biggest splashes in the apple world have come from Minnesota.

One recent standout is the Honeycrisp, an extra crisp, juicy and sweet apple which caught on like wildfire after the University of Minnesota introduced this new variety in 1991. Though it originated in Minnesota, the apple proved to be so popular and in demand by consumers that it's now being grown all over the country. Honeycrisp is notoriously fickle to grow, however, and many believe that the best quality Honeycrisps still come from cold-climate states like Minnesota.

Another locally-developed apple is the SweeTango, introduced in 2009.  A hybrid of the Honeycrisp and another U of M developed variety, Zestar, the SweeTango is an apple that's been shrouded in controversy.  Even though I like this variety - it's as crisp as the Honeycrisp but with a more tart flavor - the lawsuits have affected my view of this apple and I choose other varieties unless I'm purchasing them at a farmers market or my co-op.

The length of growing season and general climate conditions dictate the apple's unique characteristics, so offerings vary by region.  For example, Haralson is a cold climate apple that you typically won't find outside the Midwestern region, and our short growing season means you won't see locally grown Pink Lady or Gala apples here.  What's cool is that different varieties mature at different points of the season, so you can eat several different apples throughout the fall season.

Locally grown produce at major supermarkets

Like I've mentioned previously, in addition to farmers markets, I tend to shop for groceries at a variety of stores - co-ops, small and large supermarket chains.  I try to seek out local produce at these places if at all possible.

Re: shopping for apples in particular, farmers markets tend to have the largest selection of unique heirloom varieties; co-ops are the places to find local organic apples; and general supermarkets can be hit or miss in offering local apples at all.  It's a shame, really, because there are some great apples being grown here in Minnesota.

When Cub Foods invited me to an Applefest event last week to talk about their locally grown apples plus a new proprietary Cub apple that will be launched next year, I was intrigued.

I'd recently read an article about issues surrounding locally grown produce for larger supermarket chains, and the Cub produce managers with whom I spoke at the apple event echoed several of the concerns.

There are a number of challenges for larger grocery store chains to stock locally grown produce - consistent availability, sufficient volume, appearance and uniformity are all big challenges.  Grocery shoppers are accustomed to produce that's perfectly uniform in size and pristine in appearance, and many times locally grown food doesn't conform.  Food safety certification and trackability can also be issues for smaller growers, as often produce goes through a distributor and is not directly farm-to-store.

Ultimately, customers must want to buy locally-grown produce and be willing to pay a premium for it for it to make sense for large-scale grocers to carry it.  If enough customers request them, stores may consider carrying local foods.

At the Cub Applefest event, I learned that Cub's apple department focuses on Regional-Seasonal-Local offerings during September-October-November, then Domestic (mainly from Washington) from November-April, then Southern hemisphere apples (mainly from Chile) in April-May.

I was pleased to hear that Cub carries several varieties of local apples at the height of the growing season here, sourced from a consortium of 20 growers in the Mississippi River Valley.  

The varieties are more limited than what you can find at a farmers market - Cub's current local offerings include McIntosh, Cortland, Honeycrisp and Haralson - but there are times that you just can't make it to a farmers market and it's nice to know that you can still support local when you are shopping at some of these larger stores.  (Note that if buying local organic apples is important to you, Cub doesn't currently carry them; your best best is to shop at area co-ops. )

A quick cheat sheet on these varieties:
McIntosh - soft texture, tart but sweet, complex flavor; good for baking, sauces and eating
Cortland  - mild, balance of sweet and tart; best for baking
Honeycrisp - ultra-crisp, firm and juicy, sweet; best for eating fresh
Haralson - very tart and firm; good for baking, sauces and eating

The new apple from Cub Foods
Cub has its own apple breeding program, with three unique varieties under development. The first Cub-branded apple to be launched next year is a hybrid of Honeycrisp and another unknown variety.  This new apple will be available at Cub Foods stores from mid-August to mid-September (roughly until Honeycrisp is available) and will be primarily targeted at the Midwest region.

What does the new apple taste like? I had the opportunity to try it.

Like the Honeycrisp, it's exceptionally crisp and juicy but I think that this apple has greater depth of flavor than the Honeycrisp.  I reckon that it will give the SweetTango a run for its money when it's introduced next year.

Cub is sponsoring a contest this month to name the new apple.  If you live in Minnesota, you can pick up an entry form at area stores; entries must be postmarked by Saturday October 22nd.


Storage and preparation
Apples can be stored for long periods - up to 6-9 months, so the local apples that you see in stores and at farmers markets are at their freshest now.  Though apples can successfully be stored for long periods, the longer any produce is stored, the more the nutrients degrade.

Apples prefer cold temperatures and it's best to store them in the refrigerator rather than on the countertop.  (The Cub produce guy said that an apple deteriorates 10 times faster at room temperature than when refrigerated.) Refrigerators dry out foods, so that's why it's recommended that you keep apples in perforated or open plastic bags to retain moisture, and you should really consume apples within 14 days.

Most conventional apples that you buy in grocery stores are coated with a food-grade wax, for appearance and to retain moisture in the apple.  It's safe to consume this but if you prefer not to, make sure to wash your apples with warm water prior to eating / cooking.

Apples begin to brown as soon as you cut into them, so if you have to cut them up in advance, you can store them in water with a squirt of lemon juice to slow the browning.

What's your favorite apple to eat, and your favorite apple recipe to cook?  Any other apple tips to share?