Season

Early summer through December

Selection

Look for firm, crisp, well-colored fruit. Avoid those with shriveled skins, bruises, worm holes, and decayed spots. Always handle apples gently to avoid causing bruises, blemishes, or other defects.

Preperation

Raw apples will darken when the cut surface is exposed to the air. Protect cut or peeled apples from darkening by mixing with ascorbic acid such as lemon or orange juice. Only work with about five apples at a time to prevent darkening. Mix 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid with 3 tablespoons of water. Toss gently with apple slices. Apples may be preserved by several methods: freezing, drying, or canning. Please contact your county Extension office for more information.

Storage

Use those with bruises or skin breaks as soon as possible. Apples that are slightly underripe should be stored in a cool place to ripen. Once ripe, apples will keep a week or longer stored in the refrigerator vegetable drawer or in a plastic bag.

Varieties

More than 2,500 varieties are found in the United States. The following are easily available and popular in Kentucky: Lodi, Red Delicious, Rome, Winesap, Gala, Jonathan, Cortland, and Golden Delicious.

Recipies