Different varieties of apples available at Albion Orchards keep families coming back year after year to try and compare each flavour picked fresh and crisp right off the tree.
Find the perfect apples for snacks, sauces, baking, and salads all within arm’s reach in our Orchard. Apple season begins late August and runs until Early November. Most Varieties are ready September- October.
All are picked fresh and on display for sale in our store until they are gone, or when we close at Christmastime.
SPARTAN
The Spartan apple is an excellent cooking and dessert apple. The firm flesh will hold its shape and maintain its sweet flavor when baked into pies, crisps and turnovers. Diced or grated Spartan apple will add sweetness and moisture to savory preparations such as fritters, cheese puffs and chutney. Its aromatic juice lends itself to cider, soups and jams. The flavor of the Spartan apple pairs well with blue cheese, parsnip, cranberries, pork, walnuts, onion, ginger, clove and rosemary.
MCINTOSH
Named after John McIntosh who discovered the first sapling, on his farm in Upper Canada in 1811, and through careful breeding and grafting – was able to begin selling the fruit in 1835. McIntosh apples can be used cooked or raw and in both sweet and savory preparations. Add slices atop a pizza or tart, use chopped as a stuffing or puree and add to a soup. The flesh of the McIntosh apple is delicate and will breakdown when cooked. Pair with dense apples such as Red Delicious, to make pie filling or slow cook to make sauces and chutney. Diced McIntosh will add sweetness and moisture to cakes, breads and cookies. Their slightly spicy flavor and juiciness makes them a perfect apple for use in juice and cider. Its flavor pairs well with maple, pecans, celery, pork, blackberries, cherries, cinnamon, nutmeg and flavorful cheeses such as feta, gorgonzola and sharp cheddar.
ROYAL GALA
The delicate flavor and texture of the Gala apple shines in fresh preparations. They are perfect for use in fruit, green and chopped salads. Add diced gala to fruit salsas and chutneys. Slice and add to burgers, paninis and crostinis. Their sweet flavor becomes milder when cooked making them perfect in baked preparations when paired with stronger flavored apples such a Red Delicious, Empire and Mutsu. The flavor of pears, winter squash, onions, pecans, turkey, curry, brie, cheddar and Swiss cheese complement Gala apples.
EMPIRE
Empire apples are red, juicy, firm, crunchy and sweet. They ripen during September and October, and will keep until January. The original seed was a cross between the varieties McIntosh and Red Delicious. Empire apples can be roasted, baked or sautéed. Their crisp flesh and sweet tart flavor make them perfect for fresh preparations such as chicken salad and coleslaw. They pair well with pumpkin, pear, sharp cheeses and warm spices such as ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sliced or cut apples stay white longer if put in a bowl of water containing two tablespoons of lemon juice. Their size and low susceptibility to bruising make them an excellent snacking apple.
GOLDEN DELICIOUS
Golden Delicious apples have a sweet-tart flavor that can be enjoyed fresh, but also has the necessary acid content and stability to be a baking apple. Fresh, raw apple may be added to green salads, fruit salads or grain salads. Sweeten and spice apple slices, then bake into crisps, crumbles, tarts, cakes, galettes and breads. Apple slices may also be cooked down into preserves and butters, or pureed into sauces and soups. Add slices to burgers and sandwiches. Pairs well with savory items as well, such as onions, cabbages, pork, cheeses and strong herbs.
GOLDEN RUSSET
The Golden Russet is an old Ontario variety of bittersweet apple and is commonly called as an heirloom, or antique apple. High in both sugar and tannins, this makes them a good pair with almost any apple for eating, cooking or cider. Russet apples often exhibit a scent and flavour reminiscent of nuts, and are often very sweet. Despite this, modern apple breeders rarely accept russeting in new apple cultivars.
CORTLAND
One of the more successful McIntosh offspring, with all the usual characteristics, including the sweet vinous flavour. Extremely slow to brown when cut, the Cortland apple is perfect for use in fresh apple preparations. Add cubed apple to green and fruit salads. Slice thin and add to sandwiches, burgers and quesadillas. Use in lieu of crackers and pair with sweet and savory dips or flavorful cheeses. The sweet tart flavor of the Cortland apple also shines in cooked preparations. Bake into cakes, tarts, cobbler, quiche and galettes or slow cook to make soups, sauce and preserves.
CRISPIN OR MUTSU
Also known as Crispin, the Mutsu apple is a cross between the Golden Delicious and Indo apple. A popular dessert apple in Japan where it was first developed it is oftentimes referred to there as “the million dollar apple”With its sweet and delicately spiced flavor the Mutsu apple is sought after for its use as an excellent dessert apple in the culinary world. They can be sliced and baked, hollowed out and stuffed, battered and fried or slow cooked into a sauce. Their sweetness will compliment pies and tarts. Cubed they will add moisture and flavor to muffins, breads and cakes. Mutsu apples will compliment savory applications as well. Try roasted or sautéed for a side dish or topping, slice and add to green, chopped and stacked salads or serve as an accompaniment to robust cheeses
NORTHERN SPY
The white flesh is juicy, crisp and mildly sweet with a rich, aromatic subacid flavor, noted for high vitamin C content. Its characteristic flavor is more tart than most popular varieties, and its flesh is harder/crunchier than most, with a thin skin. The Northern Spy is as versatile as apples come. They can be served raw, baked, roasted, sautéed or slow cooked to a puree. Perfect for use in classic apple preparations such as pies, tarts and cobblers. Use fresh in fruit or green salads or serve alongside honey, cheese and nuts. Like many older varieties of apple the Northern Spy is well known for its cider making qualities.
RED DELICIOUS
Red Delicious apples are best used in fresh preparations, as their flesh does not hold up well when cooked. Add to green, fruit and chopped salads. Use as an edible garnish on sandwiches, quesadillas and burgers. Since their flesh breaks down easily they can be successfully slow cooked and pureed to make sauces and soups. Their flavor pairs well with cinnamon, cheddar cheese, horseradish, chard, cherries, mustard and pecans.
JONAGOLD
Medium in size, with orange-red to red blush over fainting striping: firm with a slightly coarse texture.A popular dessert apple the Jonagold can be used in a variety of sweet preparations. Bake into pies, tarts, muffins and cakes. Hollow and stuff or cook whole and baste to make baked apples. Jonagold apples are perfect for use in sauces, preserves and jam. Their sweet-tart flavor will complement savory applications as well. Use in chopped and green salad, serve sautéed slices alongside pork or root vegetables or pair with robust cheeses on a sandwich, pizza or cheese board.
IDA RED
Idared is notable for its exceptional keeping qualities. It has a pleasant mild but undistinguished apple flavor.Excellent for sauce, cooking, baking and pies. Good for eating, salads and freezing. Idareds make a beautiful pink applesauce. Cook the apples with the skins on and strain the sauce to get the best pink color.
