1992 APPLE-TASTING RESULTS (Southcentral)

This was a strange year for growing apples ….. the beautiful early weather, the cool later weather, volcanic ash. Ripening dates in the Mat-Su Valley were two (2) weeks ahead of schedule, Anchorage was two (2) weeks behind. And although there were some excellent-tasting apples at this years apple tasting, the general consensus was that this year’s crop was not up to last years high standards.

 

Many thanks to Doris Dearborn, who traveled from the Valley on a miserable evening with a wonderful variety of apples for our tasting pleasure! And thanks to those folks-River and Sarah Bean, Bob Boyer, Helen Butcher, Karl Francke. Tom Marshall Arvid Miller, and Erik Simpson among others-who shared their bounty with the rest of us!

 

Taste is such an individual matter; however, here is a compilation of the taste ratings and comments we assigned to each apple tasted (on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best-and as you can see, people’s tastes vary):

 

Unknown/Hazen? (Dearborn): 5, 2, 2, 7, 3, 3, 3 (tart to sour, not ripe).

 

Westland: 10, 4, 4, 8, 4, 5 (spicy, delicate, and sweet to bland).

 

Norland (Dearborn): 9, 6, 9, 10, 8, 7, 6 (sweet soft juicy).

 

Parkland: 8, 8, 8, 4, 8, 6, 6 (sweet good flavor, picked early).

 

Geneva Early: 10, 8.5, 7, 6, 9, 6, 7(slightly tart to sweet).

 

Chinese Golden Early: 7, 7, 8, 4, 10, 10, 9, 4 (pithy texture, good flavor).

 

Rescue: 8, 7, 7, 10, 7, 9, 5, 6 (tart, good for applesauce).

 

Norda: 6, 6.5, 6, 6.8, 5, 7 (tart to bland, weak flavor).

 

Norland (Simpson): 7, 8, 10, 8 (crisp, sweet).

 

Unknown/Geneva Early? (Bean): 8, 7, 7, 6, 5 (firm, sour to good taste).

 

Yellow Transparent 9, 7.5, 8, 10, 8, 8, 4 (banana-like flavor, slightly soft sweet).

 

Novosibirski Sweet (Marshall): 4, 8, 7. 1, 5, 8, 5, 5 (bland to sweet semi-bitter skin).

 

Rescue (Simpson): 6, 8, 5, 10, 6, 9, 8 (tart very good).

 

Oriole: 5, 6.5, 4, 4.2, 6, 5, 5 (soft slightly tart to slightly sweet).

 

Norda (Bean): 8, 9, 6, 5.9, 6, 6 (very flavorful, sweet yet tart, juicy),

 

Heyer 12: 5, 3, 7.3, 5, 4 (sour, tart not ripe).

 

Norland; 8, 6, 5, 7, 5, 8, 7 (very mild).

 

Mantet (Boyer): 7, 5.5, 7, 4, 6 (tart to sour, not impressive).

 

15th Avenue Mystery (Boyer): 5, 6, 5, 7, 6,3, 5 (tart to sour, strong flavor).

 

Unknown (Route/Boyer): 5, 3, 1, 1 (bitten dry).

 

Golden Transparent (Butcher): 9, 8, 8, 8, 8, 6 (aromatic, sweet soft).

 

Beacon: 6, 8.5, 5, 10, 5. 6 (flavorful, not quite ripe).

 

Unknown crab: 8, 7.5, 6, 7, 8.1, 5, 5 (good, high pectin, tart).

 

Unknown crab: 5, 1, 5 (sour, high pectin).

 

Unknown sweet (Francke); 9, 7, 5, 10 (good texture, sweet aromatic).

 

Noran (Boyer): 9, 7.5, 9, 9 (good flavor, tomatoey, nice texture, juicy).

 

Heyer 12 (Francke): 8, 8, 9, 5 (flavorful, but not ripe).

 

Summer Rambo (Boyer): 7, 6.5, 8, 10, 8 (tough skin, bland to sweet flesh, soft juicy).

 

Ginger Gold (Boyer): 8, 7.5, 9, 10, 3, 9, 9 (very mild, sweet good).

 

Rhoda Mantet: 5, 5.5, 4, 7 (sour, green).

 

And their there was Arvid Miller’s splendid red crabapple- sauce and all the wonderful fruit desserts (not to mention Bob Boyer’s mustard/honey bread and deer liver pate)-a perfect ending to an enjoyable evening. If you missed it this year, resolve to be there next September!