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RSS icon Comments on What Has Happened to Honeycrisp Apples?

1

Weird -- my kid just asked for them by name at Safeway, yesterday and I was commenting on how little they were...

How strange is it to be able to buy apples in snowy late January?

Posted by weird | January 28, 2008 8:57 AM
2

Big apples suck. Maybe they're not huge because they're not steroidal freakshows.

Posted by Fnarf | January 28, 2008 9:08 AM
3

They're off-season and, if this is at the Broadway QFC, the pears next to them are gigantic.

Posted by josh | January 28, 2008 9:13 AM
4

off-season fruit/vegtables generally come from south america, like chile or peru. seasons are opposite to the northern hemisphere.

Posted by Y.F. | January 28, 2008 9:16 AM
5

They most likely didn't get enough rain.

Posted by jeffg166 | January 28, 2008 9:16 AM
6

They're pretty good, yes, but Cortland (which seem only to be available on the East coast) apples put them to shame. If you're an applephile you owe it to yourself to try a Cortland.

Posted by AMB | January 28, 2008 9:17 AM
7

Apples from Washington are picked in the fall and then stored in an Controlled Atmosphere (no oxygen) until they are ready to be shipped. They can be kept for about a year this way. Look at the sticker on the apple to figure out where it came from

@6 - East Coast apples suck.

Posted by JD | January 28, 2008 9:22 AM
8

It's fricking winter time, duh. What kind of apple do you know that ripens naturally in January?

Assuming they came from a North American orchard they were probably part of a late harvest, possibly even picked a bit early. Either that, or, they just ripen out smaller later in the year with the shorter daylight hours and cooler temps.

The real issue I guess would be taste. Because of their slight tartness, I would imagine Honey Golds are decent "keeping apples" (although their high water content might work against that - maybe that's why they're smaller - less liquid to soften them over a long storage period?), and so long as they've been stored and chilled properly would likely retain most of their flavor and texture.

Posted by COMTE | January 28, 2008 9:25 AM
9

Bees? I really do not know. Oh, and I've bought a Cortland at PCC once.

Posted by Deacon Seattle | January 28, 2008 9:36 AM
10

Off-season, but at least you can find them, they are extinct in Issaquah currently. I had to settle for Fujis and they just aren't the same.

Besides, half the fun of Honeycrisps is that first day in August that you find the freakishly-sized ones and eat 3 on the way home.

Posted by Jessica | January 28, 2008 9:41 AM
11

@7 You are absolutely correct, having worked in produce most of the producers release their best apples when they are fresh and store or ship over seas the lower quality ones, like the small ones here since the atmospheric storage can change the flavor and/or scents of certain varieties.

But not all Southern Hemisphere apples suck, New Zealand has some of the best apples I've ever had.

Posted by vooodooo84 | January 28, 2008 9:49 AM
12

The honeycrisps I remember from three our four years ago were at least as big as grapefruit. You could eat one with flatware.

Posted by superyeadon | January 28, 2008 9:58 AM
13

Totally speculative, but it seems possible that the producers sort by size and then bring the apples that they think are most desirable to market first.

If the producers felt that size matters more than how you eat it, this could lead to a stock of small apples for sale later, after the autumn honeycrisp madness has abated a bit.

Posted by Apocalypse Tom | January 28, 2008 9:58 AM
14

The honeycrisps I remember from three or four years ago were at least as big as grapefruit. You could eat one with flatware.

Posted by superyeadon | January 28, 2008 9:58 AM
15

@13 - You are correct, the apples are sorted by grade and size before they are packed into boxes. Larger apples will get a higher price and are often sold to higher end grocery stores. The same with the how the apples are graded.

Posted by JD | January 28, 2008 10:08 AM
16

Here in Illinois the honeycrisp are usually about the size that you are showing there. Once each fall, for about a week, we get the great big ones and I eat nothing else for days.

Posted by iheartbeer | January 28, 2008 10:29 AM
17

The larger apples are being shipped to other countries where they treat them like a delicacy.

Yet one more reason why "free trade" is not a good idea.

Posted by Will in Seattle | January 28, 2008 10:30 AM
18

metropolitan market has FUCKING HUGE honeycrisp apples ... if you feel like making the journey.

Posted by schmastic fantastic | January 28, 2008 10:45 AM
19

The Capitol Hill Safeway had huge Honeycrisps as of Saturday night.

Posted by keshmeshi | January 28, 2008 11:11 AM
20

Metropolitan Market produce will blow your mind.
Consistently superior to most grocers. And, staffed with super knowledgeable produce dudes that will always advise the least-sucky tomato during winter.

Posted by kerri harrop | January 28, 2008 12:02 PM
21

Metropolitan Market is good, yes. But the produce buyers at AmazonFresh send you emails like these in (in response to a query from late August):

====

I'm the produce buyer for AmazonFresh, and wanted to give you some specific answers to your questions - and a little bit more. While we don't have the information you're looking for on our detail pages yet, we're working on it and a way to keep it current day-to-day. Here are the specifics by variety:

*
Fuji - NZ grown - this year's crop (for southern hemisphere)
*
Jazz - NZ grown - this year's crop
*
Braeburn - NZ grown - this year's crop
*
Gold Delicious - Washington grown, controlled atmosphere (last year's crop), but into new crop in the next few days!
* Gala - some Chile grown (this year's crop), some WA grown (last year's crop) both are excellent quality, extra fancy premium grade (top grade available)
*
Granny Smith - Washington grown, controlled atmosphere (last year's crop) - again extra fancy premium grade (as are all our apples when the grade is available)

Just so you know, we will always move into new crop apples the day they become available - we won't keep selling last year's crop just because they are less expensive. Here's what I expect in the coming weeks for new crop apples from Washington.

*
Western Washington Gravensteins should be available late this week or early next.
*
Early Gold delicious should become available in the next few days
*
Honeycrisp apples (my personal favorite) should be available within a week to 10 days
*
Early Washington Fuji apples might be available in a couple of weeks.
*
Lots of varieties start hitting mid to late September and into October

Thanks for the questions, and keep checking back for what's new and fresh on AmazonFresh!


Posted by nbc | January 28, 2008 12:27 PM
22

I just bought some of the huge Honeycrisps last night at Metropolitan Market, and they're still tasty, despite being off season locally.

And Kerri, you're completely right. Their tomatoes are one of the main reasons I shop there. MM is the only place that actually carries edible, non-scary looking tomatoes during the winter.

Posted by rlv | January 28, 2008 12:35 PM
23

Love Metro Market, and since I don't currently live near one I haven't been going, but good Honeycrisps AND decent tomatoes?! Holy crap! I'm so there.

Posted by violet_dagrinder | January 28, 2008 1:32 PM
24

You totally took that picture at the Broadway Market QFC. I stacked those apples. It's weird to stumble across them here on the SLOG. Other than that I have nothing to contribute to this conversation.

Posted by produce guy | January 28, 2008 2:11 PM
25

You totally took that picture at the Broadway Market QFC. I stacked those apples. It's weird to stumble across them here on the SLOG. Other than that I have nothing to contribute to this conversation.

Posted by produce guy | January 28, 2008 2:11 PM
26

You totally took that picture at the Broadway Market QFC. I stacked those apples. It's weird to stumble across them here on the SLOG. Other than that I have nothing to contribute to this conversation.

Posted by produce guy | January 28, 2008 2:12 PM
27

small apples rule. they are conveniently sized and the skin to flesh ratio is ideal in a small apple. Jonathan apples rock my world.

Posted by pain | January 28, 2008 3:11 PM
28

Ah, yes they are Motherfucking Delicious(tm).

It's too bad that they are three bucks an apple!
In light of the current Honeycrisp drought, I've settled for Galas in the meantime.

Posted by James | January 28, 2008 4:08 PM
29

Too big, too sweet, too much. I love apples but have never understood the appeal of the supersize honeycrisp. Bigger-is-better-and-biggest-is-best, apparently.

Posted by Blech! | January 28, 2008 5:07 PM
30

I buy great Honeycrisp from a farmer at the CC farmer's market. I buy a large box from him at the end of the season (October), and he always packs it with small ones (despite having some large ones left). He told me that they keep better than the larger ones he sells in season. As he explained it, the larger ones have more sugar in them and spoil more quickly. He told me to eat the larger ones in the box first, and the smaller ones later. Mine kept well in the garage, and I ate the last one last week. He also told me that in-season, the best Honeycrisp are the ones that are starting to split open at the top (if they are fresh) because they are the sweetest.

Posted by amatilda | January 28, 2008 9:39 PM
31

While Honeycrisp is a great apple, the Pink Lady is also an excellent choice. It is sweet/tart/ripe and good for fresh eating or baking. Much better than Granny Smith. Much of it is grown in Washington State. It's harvested last (late October/early November)and can be quite tart when picked. The sugars then come up to reach a balance. This apple is at its peak flavor right now. Just in time for Valentine's Day!

Posted by The Apple Guy | January 29, 2008 2:59 PM

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