Apples

Golden Delicious are good all-purpose apples, and I use them when more interesting varieties are not available. Granny Smiths, also widely available, are tart and crisp, and sometimes remain too firm after being baked in a pie. They are better suited for cooked fillings, where you can cook them gently for a long time. McIntosh apples are best suited for making a sauce or purée, since they disintegrate completely when exposed to even the lowest heat. Northern Spies are the ultimate pie apple with a well-balanced flavor, juicy, but not watery flesh, and a slight firmness that keeps them from either disintegrating or remaining too hard. They are primarily available in the northern states from Minnesota eastward.