I learned that red delicious (aka "Coffee Grinds in a Leather Glove") won an apple contest in 1894, so apparently they used to be good...? Can we get that strain back from history somehow?
this post was submitted on 24 Jan 2025
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In my life, I've had approximately 3 bags of really good red delicious apples. This tells me that it is completely possible for them to be good, but for some reason they aren't. My best guess is that because their look is so synonymous with people's concept of an apple, too much emphasis is placed on their appearance. They don't get picked and bagged at the right time, so they're almost always mealy and bland. I will say that the few times I've managed to find legit red delicious make me understand how they could win an apple contest and why they became the "default" for apple. I don't think they'd be modern contenders for first place, but they're easily a top 5.
As someone who absolutely loves apples, thank you for this. I will say it's quite subjective, though. They rank Cosmic Crisp only a 74, but the exact things they list as downsides (not as sweet, thick skin) are what I love about it. Maybe I'm just weird for loving apple skin.
Anyone who calls Cosmic Crisp anything but the best apple ever developed is kidding themselves. Cosmic Crisp is apple technology perfected. Nothing compares.
I've had mixed experiences with them. Some were massive, family-feeding unearthly delights that tasted like a divine antidote to the bitter pill of knowledge given to Eve, a benediction from beyond all hope or reason.
And then I've had ones that just tasted like pink ladies.
Sandy dry grainy apples are universally bad though, and I will die on this hill.
Oh 100%. There's nothing worse than buying into a great looking apple and it's done that thing where it's just like mushy sand inside
I was so hyped for Cosmic Crisp after hearing about the whole story of it being saved and I couldn't get one for months and when I finally got to try one the skin really put me off :c
I bet it would make a good pie tho
I'm a Fuji apple girl myself
Cosmic crisp may not be the best available at all times of the year but its very affordable and for the price it's actually pretty good, a step up from honeycrisp at least.
If it's good for making cider, it's the best type of apple.