I think this'll be my final apple post after this one, but I felt like I needed to apologize. I still think what I think about pink ladies, but I also remarked:

[The apple ranking website reviewers] were smoking crack when they gave sweetango a 95/100 and ranked it the best apple. This right here is a fucking 6/10 apple. The texture was like a less egregious red delicious. I can’t even remember the flavor like 15 minutes later. Tiny little nothing. Genuinely one of the most forgettable apples I’ve eaten in my life.

I still don't think sweetango is the best apple, but I did have an enjoyable experience with a sweetango apple today – unlike with the first one at room temperature and the second one that I left in the fridge overnight. I don't know why, but having one in the fridge for a few days, this one I tried this morning had a great flavor profile (sweet and just tart enough), was really juicy, and had overall pretty nice texture. (Some parts still had a milder version of that stereotypical red delicious mushiness.) I don't think I've ever seen this much of a discrepancy between an apple at room temperature and an apple left in the fridge specifically for a few days (where overnight until it was fully chilled barely helped at all, unlike most apples I usuallly have).

And honestly, in retrospect, the size is a nice size for an apple before you start kind of getting sick of it; maybe that's because I had it as a side this time instead of as its own snack. The price drags it down a bit, but I think its quality is good enough that I could see myself getting it again if it's on sale and something like cosmic crisp or honeycrisp isn't.

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[–] 5 points 1 week ago

We just came back from western NC with a peck each of Pink Ladies, Staymen Winesaps, and some Braeburns. We were too late for the Honeycrisps. Oh yeah, we also got a dozen apple donuts, a dozen apple fritters, and 6 apple muffins! Yeah, Barber's Orchard got a fat wad of our cash :)

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  • [–] 7 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    🍏 Granny Smith gang rise up!

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  • [–] 4 points 1 week ago

    I also have strong opinions about apples. I applaud the sense of integrity that brought you back here to apologize to an entire variety of fruit, but think you may be going a bit hard on yourself.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    Loved following your apple journey. I actually picked up a box of Pink Ladies myself last week to see if the score is valid, and I agree that they're overrated af. I can see how people would like their slight sourness but I apparently do not appreciate it at all. I would have a Gala or a Red Delicious over a Pink Lady any day of the week.

    The best apple I ever had was a Jonagored, which is apparently a mutated Jonagold. Guess it's too niche for the apple ranking website

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  • [–] 3 points 1 week ago (1 child)
  • [–] 3 points 1 week ago (2 children)

    I loved Cosmic Crisp when they first became widely available, but I feel like they’ve recently fallen off hard. Not sure what changed.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    My preferred apple is a winesap, as it's great for baking and apple butter!

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  • [–] 2 points 1 week ago (2 children)

    Fuji are my go to buy I will cycle through several depending on price.

    Honey crisp, sweet tango.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago

    +1 for Fuji. Truly the king of apples. I tried cosmic crisp recently and was heavily disappointed. 3/4 of the bag were bitter and sour. Red Delicious is the worst offender, nothing about it is delicious

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  • [–] 2 points 1 week ago

    The best apple I ever et was a Spitzenburg at this apple fest thing I’d attend yearly. I only tried it a couple times b/c they always sold out quickly. Perfectly weighted sweet/tart, much like the noble SweeTarts candy, but how it used to taste. Maybe the candy changed; maybe it was I who changed. The Spitzenburg would make a good pie or tart or crisp, but not a crumble as those are for the weak-minded. Delicious as a snack or a juice. As a cider? Wish a MFer would try. And let me have some.

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