Kitchen Basics: Apples 101

With so many great varieties available, it’s often hard to know which kind of apples will work best with any given recipe. My advice: Experiment! The only way of getting to know different types of apples is by trying them.

Granny Smiths are my all-time favorite; I love dipping slices into Skippy® Peanut Butter. (Our Apple Bagel Snacks make good use of that delicious combination.)

Here, tips for getting the most out of this versatile fruit in any situation.

•Storing. Apples continue to ripen even after they’re picked, but keeping them cool slows down this process. So, rather than displaying them on your kitchen counter at room temperature, stash them away in your refrigerator.

•Selecting. For a sweeter flavor, bite into a Braeburn, Golden Delicious or Cortland apple. Granny Smith and Red Delicious are your go-to varieties for tartness. (Either one will work well in our Fennel, Apple and Arugula Salad.)

•Baking. Whether you’re making an Apple Plum Crisp or Apple ’n Cranberry Country Bread, try using varieties that tend to keep their shape, such as Braeburn, Empire, Fuji, Granny Smith or Jonathan.

•Cooking. Conversely, this is the time to choose apple varieties that tend to lose their shape. Good examples include Crispin, Golden Delicious, Rome and McIntosh.