APPLE PICKING HACKS

Local apples are in season right up until the end of October, depending on the variety. For instance, if you plan on picking apples the first week in October, you should know that while gravensteins may be at the end of their peak season, McIntosh apples are just getting started and will be in season until the end of the month. If you like spys, you should probably wait until about the second week in October, or if you can’t live without kestrels, your window of opportunity is actually between the first and third week in October. Spartans are around a little longer and start to come in season about the last week in September and stick around until the end of October, giving you plenty of time to enjoy these beauties.

While which apples are in season is a key consideration when choosing what type to pick, you should also consider how you plan to use them. For example, golden delicious, which are in season starting the first

Along with the abundance of colour sightseers can take in across the province is the bounty of apples and pumpkins that are the staple of any Thanksgiving table.While not a complicated endeavour, there are some tricks to assuring you get the perfect fruit for your pies, cobblers, stuffing or even your table and outdoor decorations. So, here are some sure-fire hacks to help you get started.

week of October, are great for pies and other baked goods because they are naturally sweet, which allows you to cut back on added sugar. As a bonus, you don’t typically have to peel these apples since their skin is thinner than other types and their flesh is soft, so it bakes perfectly. These are also a wonderful choice for applesauce or homemade apple butter.

Cortlands, which are a favourite among apple lovers, are another great pick for baking. They are in season a little earlier than golden delicious, so you can get a head start on your baking if you opt for this variety. Cortlands are actually a variety of the McIntosh, which makes them a good choice for eating “in-hand,” as well as perfect for baking. They have a bit of tartness and the crisp, white flesh keeps its colour longer than other varieties, which makes them good for salads as well as baking, where they will remain somewhat firmer than golden delicious, for instance.

Northern spys, which typically come into season around the second week of October, are also a good choice for baking. While they may not be the most beautiful apples — they can be a little “lumpy” and often have a dull, greenish-red colour — they are a superstar for bakers. Harder and crunchier, these apples are pretty consistent when it comes to flavour and baking results.

Royal gala is another good choice for baking and they are typically in season the entire month of October. These apples are perfectly crisp and have just the right amount of sweetness, which makes them a good choice for baking.

If want to stock up on apples for the kids’ lunches, you will want to go with softer apples, preferably ones that don’t bruise easily. Golden and red delicious are a good choice and they are in season throughout October. Empire apples are also a great choice for several reasons. They are typically a deep red colour, which is enticing to kids, but they are also sweet and crispy, and they don’t bruise easily so they should survive in lunch bags. These are in season from around the last week of September to the end of October, which gives you plenty of opportunity to stock up.

If you are looking for an allaround good apple, you might opt for the local cox orange. This one comes into season a little later than others, around the beginning of the second week of October, which gives it a relatively short in-season time, but it is worth it. These apples are great for eating, juicing, baking (it will hold its shape) and making hard cider. This apple also stores fairly well, and actually mellows in taste as it ages.

A good tip no matter which apple you pick is to make sure it is fully ripe before picking. And how do you know? The trick is simple — turn the apple upside down and if it easily falls off the branch into your hand without having to pull or twist the stem, it is ripe. If it’s not, leave it be; it will finish ripening for the next person.