The apples from the north

There’s more to Washington apples than all those pedigree fruit names. There’s color, acidity and style. Here are some pointers for selecting from the leading varieties being grown in Washington.

Braeburn: chance seedling of a Lady Hamilton apple from New Zealand, red stripes over a yellow-green background, excellent balance of sugar and acid.

Golden Delicious: West Virginian, at its best gold, not green, big, round, sweet and honeyed.

Granny Smith: small, hard, green Australian apple. Best for cooking.

Fuji: Japanese apple bred from American Ralls Janet and Red Delicious. Red on green gives a brownish tint, ultra sweet, crisp, pronounced by Washington apple pioneer Grady Auvil “an apple that even grocers can’t ruin.”

Jonagold: Released by Cornell University in 1968, a cross of Golden Delicious and Jonathan. Orange and red over gold. Sweet, honeyed, crisp with a spicy aroma. Revered in Europe and Asia as a sublime dessert apple. When the breeder went to Japan, he was given a parade.

Pink Lady: pleasantly tart, crisp, large Australian apple, pink over a gold background, cross of Granny Smith and Lady Williams. A good baking apple.

Red Delicious: Iowan apple, at its best from farmers markets and good stores, striped red on yellow background, sweet, aromatic cream-colored flesh. At its worst, dark red, bitter-skinned, woody.