This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
Whether red, green or yellow, plump or cylindrical, sweet or tart, pick-your-own apples in Quebec orchards seduce us fall after fall; and even summer, for some of them. It must be said that with nearly 90 varieties of this fruit around us (and more than 7,000 in the world), there is something to die for! So why not swap the usual McIntosh, Spartan, Gala or Honeycrisp for other apples that are less well known, but deserve to be known?
The Passionata
Did you know first of all that we have varieties of apples created right here in Quebec? Indeed, a collective of passionate apple growers and cider growers, united under the banner La Pomme de Devenir, has been developing interesting creations since 1986 that can be found in pick-your-own orchards. This is the case of Passionata, a large yellow apple tending to orange and pink, crunchy, juicy and with atypical aromas reminiscent of muscat grapes and passion fruit. “It’s a perfect knife apple to share with an exceptional taste,” says producer and nurseryman Jean-Marc Rochon. How do we taste it? As is, in salads, as well as in pies or crisps.
The Rosinette
The first 100% Quebec hybrid and the fruit of 25 years of research into The Apple of Tomorrow, the Rosinette stands out primarily for its aesthetics, since it is heart-shaped with dark pink cheeks on a yellow background. It is a sweet, fruity and slightly tart white-fleshed apple, both crunchy and melting. It is eaten fresh and cooked.
The Famous
Also nicknamed “snow apple”, this heritage apple whose roots in Quebec go back to the first settlers of New France, and which was widely consumed until the 20th century.e century, was reintroduced in Quebec orchards. Orange-red in color, its very white flesh is juicy and sweet, which makes it an ideal apple to eat or cook to make very smooth compotes.
The Ginger Gold
Yellow in color and with a taste that is both sweet and spicy, this firm, crunchy and juicy apple can surprise you the first time you taste it. “But it adds a feeling of pleasure to tasting that is not found in other varieties,” says Mr. Rochon, who advises eating it as is or transforming it into juice.
Ambrosia
Originally from British Columbia, this cone-shaped apple, pink in color on a yellow-green background, easily stands out from other varieties. “It’s really an Apple 2.0,” adds Mr. Rochon. It is beautiful, crunchy, sweet, with notes of candy in the mouth. » In addition, it does not oxidize and is very versatile, because it is as good in salads as in desserts.
The Sweet Sixteen
Behind this charming name hides a curious large crunchy apple with flavors of spices, vanilla and black licorice. A real curiosity and, it seems, dessert in every bite. It is mainly eaten fresh, but it can also be cooked. Be careful, as it matures towards the end of September, you shouldn’t miss it!
The Willamette
Considered the queen of crab apples, because it is much larger than other varieties, the Willamette has a ruby red color when ripe which makes it a beautiful decoration. But it would be a shame not to transform it into syrup or jelly, because it contains a lot of pectin. It is also very popular as a cider apple.
Eden
This variety of apple, created in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, perfectly crystallizes the image we have of an ice cream apple. A beautiful red that does not brown, crunchy and firm, it does not fall from the tree when it is ripe and lasts there until January, so much so that it is excellent for making ice ciders. But it can also be eaten in fruit salads.
Additional Suggestions
Jean-Marc Rochon invites us to discover other varieties of apples: the Orléans, the first apple created on the island of the same name, plump, crunchy and with an even more delicious taste after a month of storage; Crimson Crisp, red in color, firm and with a good sugar-acidity balance; as well as Delcorf, an early orange-yellow apple with well-scented yellow flesh.
Taste the varieties of our regions
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Dutyrelating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.