Two tips for apple adventurers:
1. Don't judge an apple by its skin. Bright red means nothing, according to Rowan Jacobsen, author of Apples of Uncommon Character.
2. Crunch isn't necessary, either, because some tender apples have sweet smells of pineapple or banana.
Here are some apple varieties worth searching for:
* Cox's Orange Pippin, a UK favorite, is described by gourmet magazine "Bon Appetit" as multidimensional flavored, with tones of citrus, melon and tropical fruit. Grown in the U.S.
* Pink Pearl, grown in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, among other places, has a pale skin and gives a surprise on the first bite. Pink flesh!
* Esopus Spitzenberg, the apple for history buffs, was the favorite of Thomas Jefferson. It originated in Esopus, NY. Known for its firm and juicy flesh.
* Arkansas Black, which is not precisely black, but very deep maroon. You won't find them in stores because, straight off the tree they are tart. The key is to store them for a few months and the flavors begin to emerge, according to Linvilla Orchards in Pennsylvania.
