As A Matter of Fact They Are, She Said

Don't you hate it when you have a really good piece of fruit somewhere, but then later try something that looks similar only to find that fruit no. 2 does not, cannot compare? Sometimes this is a fruitless exercise, I admit (please don't kill me for that), such as when trying to locate oranges like the kind Will, Jake and had at Little Szechuan last winter. (Never again will there be an orange that good.) Apples, though, are a particular problem. I know I like apples besides the not so Deliciouses and Granny Smiths, but standing in the produce section, they all look the same, and I'm forced to just pick at random, wishing I knew what I was looking for. But no longer! I went to the store yesterday and, faced with that very dilemma, bought one of each variety this time. So over the next week or so I'll be working on a feature I'm calling "Apples, Reviewed." Look for it here and on the photopage (note: my first photo was rather lousy, and I ate the apple before I could take another) as I work diligently at keeping the doctor away.

The McIntosh
Bright red with slight green mottling and average in size, the McIntosh's skin is surprisingly thin and shiny, which complements the inside nicely. Juicy white flesh that browns slowly but intriguingly upon eating and little grittiness even near the core make this apple a must-try. Mild without seeming bland, this Ontario variant discovered by British Loyalist John McIntosh at the turn of the 18th century tastes vaguely like homemade applesauce... if, that is, your grandma's recipe was crunchy and didn't have any cinnamon.