I Had a Taste ... I'm a Believer

[easysurfer]

Recently saw a news segment about Gala apples over taking the Red Delicious in popularity. I have never heard of Gala before as I've always considered Red Delicious as the best. So of course, next time at grocery store, I had to pick up a couple of Gala's. After a few bites, I must say, thumbs up on the Gala. I like the mild, yet still sweet taste of the Gala.

Red Delicious has been the most-grown apple in America for decades, but according to trade group the U.S. Apple Association, they have been unseeded — er, unseated — by Gala apples.

The most-grown apples in America for 2018, says U.S. Apple, will now be (in order): Gala, Red Delicious, Granny Smith (for baking, we assume!), Fuji and Honeycrisp.

https://www.today.com/food/red-delicious-no-longer-america-s-favorite-apple-t136674

 

[MuirWannabe]

Been gala for some time. I agree. They are good

 

[RunningBum]

I've tried Gala, Fuji, and Honeycrisp, and still prefer Red Delicious. That's all I buy unless I have no choice.

 

[W2R]

I've tried Gala, Fuji, and Honeycrisp, and still prefer Red Delicious. That's all I buy unless I have no choice.

+1

They're all good, but I just love Red Delicious.

 

[YeahNo]

Sweet Tango?

 

[MissMolly]

Honeycrisp is my favorite!

 

[albireo13]

problem with red delicious is they turn mealy way too quickly. I like my apples crisp.

 

[HadEnuff]

in Upstate NY I love the local Empires. And they keep very well.

 

[Fedup]

I like Gold delicious better than red delicious. I like Honeycrisp best. But I have a lot of these apple trees in my yard.

 

[Alectoris]

Living in a fruit growing region really turned me off to the Red Delicious apples that I grew up with. Gala's are good as well with Fuji's. I would buy almost any other apple over a Red Delicious now.

To me, it is like comparing USDA utility grade meat vs prime.

So much more quality compared to the price.

 

[joeea]

I prefer Granny Smith, MacIntosh, and Macoun apples. I like them slightly under-ripe, firm and tart. Gala and Red Delicious are too sweet for my taste.

 

[Texas Proud]

problem with red delicious is they turn mealy way too quickly. I like my apples crisp.

+1


I like Gala also, plus one my mom recommended... pink lady...

 

[chilkoot]

I prefer them very crisp so It’s usually Pippin or Granny Smith.

 

[ABQ2015]

My favorite is Ambrosia followed by Honeycrisp. I keep seeing new varieties (Sweet Tango, etc.) in the store so sometimes buy 2 each of several varieties to try them.

 

[Love This Community]

Ambrosia....I can eat 1 a day without getting bored. I only saw those at Marianos (I am from the Greater Chicago area)

 

[HFWR]

Gala or Granny Smith. Agree that Red Delicious seem too mealy/mushy.

 

[Accidental Retiree]

Honeycrisp is my favorite!

+1

 

[Retch The Grate]

Red Delicious is just hideous, mealy, mushy and awful flavor. Pink Lady is where it is at for eating from the bowl, Granny Smith for pies.

 

[DeborahB]

If you’re baking pies and are in New England, the absolute best are R.I. Greenings, or Gravensteins. They’re hard to find, old varieties. Tart and crisp.

 

[Midpack]

+2. We’re a Honeycrisp household when available, Granny Smith otherwise. But Galas are also good.

 

[GravitySucks]

MacIntosh when tart and firm. Empire and Macoun the rest of the year. Galas are fine too.
Honeycrisp for a special treat.
Cortland for cooking.

 

[Cessna152]

Try Cripps Pink cultivar, which are sold under the trade name of Pink Lady.

A hundred years ago there were 7000 named varieties of apples grown in the U.S. In the nineteenth century over 15,000 varieties were cultivated in the U.S. Today just 11 varieties of apples account for 90 percent sold in the U.S.

What happened to all those varieties!? Here’s the history of apples in the United States in just 10 minutes by my current favorite online historian:

 

[kaneohe]

This subject is a perfect illustration of distributions and robustness. A good red delicious is quite nice. The problem is that the distribution of quite nice is quite narrow......between not ripe enough and the mealy mushy condition that others have talked about....and to make things worse it is difficult to tell by looks/feel what you have. The gala and fuji seem to have a wider acceptable distribution but they too have their limits and I have eaten enough mealy ones of those to prefer the honeycrisp..........so far I have never found one I didn't like.

 

[sheehs1]

I prefer Fuji apples and have never had a mealy one. Admittedly, I don't eat apples often but use them around the holidays for my Waldorf salads. The Fuji stay firm.

 

[youbet]

We like variety and keep 4 - 5 types, along with various pears, in the fruit bowl this time of year.