An Apple to Tempt Every Eve and Adam

For apple enthusiasts, a walk down the produce aisle during the fall and winter months can be a tantalizing experience.

Increased production in recent years has meant that some grocery stores--especially the chains--are carrying up to 10 varieties of apples.

So many choices can throw an apple lover into a real quandary. If intended for fresh eating, do you opt for the aromatic, semisweet Gala; or something a bit more tangy, like the crisp Braeburn? There’s always the sweet, traditional--and ubiquitous--Red and Golden Delicious types. And if you’re fond of a little tartness, do you grab the reddish-green McIntosh, the brilliant red Jonathan or the versatile Granny Smith?

For bakers, a firm, versatile fruit is optimum--one that will maintain its firmness even after cooking. There are a few choices here: the green Pippin variety, the sweet ‘n tangy Jonagold or the large, deep-red-hued Winesap.

Some of these varieties and others are available year-round, thanks to ever-increasing overseas production, said Ojai grower-packer Tony Thacher.

“If you go back a couple decades, you never saw apples except during the fall and winter,” Thacher said, who manages Friends Ranches in Ojai. “The apple business has become a worldwide market so we see apples from New Zealand, Chile and other countries throughout the year.”

The Friends Ranches’ roadside stand is offering a few varieties through Thanksgiving, including the Red and Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and the crisp, mildly sweet Fuji. Most of the apples are grown at the ranch, though Thacher does bring in a few varieties from the Cuyama Valley.

Another Ventura County apple grower--one of only a few--is Rancho Arnaz in the Ojai Valley.

Some of the trees on this 13-acre ranch have been producing apples for several decades, according to manager Sharon Lee. Their more commercially viable trees include the Granny Smith, Winesap, Jonathan and Red and Golden Delicious varieties.

Lee said their Arkansas Black--a rarity in these parts--will be around only for another month to six weeks. At 99 cents a pound, this meaty, tart-flavored, reddish-green variety is good for both fresh-eating and baking.

But bakers take note: Lee says Rancho Arnaz sells the gem of all cooking apples.

“The Pearmain is absolutely unequaled for baking,” she said. “It’s a better apple than the Granny Smith or Pippin. It has a semisweet, tart flavor and it doesn’t cook down to mush.”

Rancho Arnaz may be your best bet if you want to procure a bag full of the White Winter Pearmain. This greenish variety, selling for 99 cents a pound at the ranch, is an uncommon variety and not usually seen in markets.

The Ventura County farmers’ market scene is also a hot spot right now for a wide variety of apples.

“Apples will be our main fruit for the rest of the year,” said Karen Wetzel, manager of the Ventura County Farmers’ Market bazaars in Ventura, Thousand Oaks and Santa Clarita. “We have probably 10 to 15 varieties. There’s an apple that everybody will like.”

Numerous vendors are offering quality fruit at all of the local farmers’ markets.

Keep an eye out for Thelma Derwin, a Solvang grower. She’s offering an impressive selection of not-so-common apples at the Wednesday and Saturday Ventura markets. Other notables include, Sea Canyon Ranch (San Luis Obispo County), run by Bret Schulman, at Ventura’s Saturday market. The ranch grows about 30 varieties of apples throughout the year.

From the Bakersfield area, Harvey Farms is trucking in Fuji and red Granny Smiths to the Thousand Oaks market.

Though many apple varieties are raised predominantly in cool regions like Washington, Oregon, Michigan and others, California’s more arid San Joaquin Valley has also become a large producer of apples. California growers are capitalizing on varieties that flourish in hot weather, like the Gala, Braeburn (both from New Zealand) and Fuji (Japan).

The proliferation and popularity of these varieties has in the last couple of years brought down prices, which are currently hovering just under a dollar per pound.

According to Tony Thacher at Friends Ranches, not only are consumers enjoying better overall selection and lower prices, but the quality of fruit and its shelf life has improved as well.

Almost all apples you purchase have spent some time--weeks, even months--in cold storage before they reach the retail marketplace.

“Now what they do is remove the oxygen and ripening agents--like ethylene gas--from the air,” Thacher said. “Apples will still lose some of their crispiness over time, but an apple that’s been in storage for months will remain pretty crispy.”

Writer and eater Rodney Bosch contributes a bimonthly column to Ventura County Life. You can write to him at 5200 Valentine Road, Suite 140, Ventura 93003 or fax 658-5576.

Details

Besides a wide variety currently available at grocery stores and local farmers markets, you’ll find locally grown apples at two roadside stands in the Ojai area:

* WHAT: Rancho Arnaz.

* WHEN: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

* WHERE: Sales on California 33, halfway between Ventura and Ojai.

* ETC.: You’ll also find fresh apple cider, juices and other products here year-round. For more information, call 649-2776.

* WHAT: Friends Ranches.

* WHEN: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

* WHERE: 15150 Maricopa Highway (California 33).

* ETC.: For more information, call 646-2871.