Help! I went apple picking last weekend, and I have bushels of them. Which apples are the best for snacking, baking, and cooking?
--picking through the apples
dear picking through the apples,
Considering that there are 2,500 varieties of apples to choose from, I can see your dilemma. In general, Cortlands, Empire, Gala, and McIntosh apples are all shoo-ins when you want a crisp snack or sweet addition to a salad. When you're baking or cooking, look for those beauties that can stand the heat, such as Rome, Golden Delicious, and Granny Smith varieties.
To help you sort through your pickin's, here's an apple lover's guide.
| Variety | Great For |
| Cortland | Snacks, salads, baking |
| Empire | Snacks, salads |
| Fuji | All-purpose |
| Gala | Snacks, salads |
| Golden Delicious | All-purpose |
| Granny Smith | All-purpose |
| Gravenstein | Snacks, salads, baking |
| Jonathan | All-purpose |
| Macoun | Snacks, salads, applesauce |
| McIntosh | Snacks, salads |
| Red Delicious | Snacks, salads |
| Stayman | Snacks, salads, cooking |
| Winesap | All-purpose |
| York Imperial | Primarily baking, cooking |
Source: US Apple Association
Have fun,
Joan
Updated: June 2005