Fall is not Fall without apples. Once the local varieties begin showing up in the store we can start to get excited about apple season and the string of holidays that follow. A great thing about the Bay Area is the access we have to so many types of apples—both heirloom and more recently cultivated.

Here is a list of what is available this week—they are all great for eating, baking, and adding to recipes.

Organic Ambrosia Apples
Ambrosia is a cultivar of apple originating in British Columbia in the early 1990s. The fruit is medium to large and has mostly red, glossy coloration, with yellow patches. It has cream-colored, firm meat with a sweet flavor reminiscent of pear and has low acidity.

Organic Rosalynn Apples
Rosalynn apples are medium to large in size and are round and slightly flattened in shape. The skin has a yellow base and is covered in deep red blushing. There are also many prominent white lenticels or pores covering the surface. The pale yellow to cream-colored flesh is firm and crisp with a medium-grained texture. Rosalynn apples are juicy and mild with a sweet-tart, floral flavor, and a subtle hint of spice.

Organic Envy Apples
Envy apples are a cross between two other beloved varieties–the Royal Gala and the Braeburn. Envy apples are mostly red in color with few yellow patches. The pale yellow flesh takes up to 10 hours to oxidize. This trait is highly desirable for those who love to eat apples freshly cut. The Envy has thicker, tougher skin than other apples. Envy apples are known to be very sweet and low in acidity. When ripe, the flesh is crisp and has a slight flowery taste.

Organic Jazz Apples
Jazz is a crisp hard apple with an excellent strong sweet-sharp flavor, and a pronounced fruity pear-drop note. Jazz was developed in New Zealand in the 1980s. It is a cross between the Braeburn and Gala. The butter-yellow flesh is juicy, crisp, and dense.

Organic Dazzle Apples
Dazzle apples have a beautiful, bright red color with a flat shape. The flesh is sparkling white to pale cream and firm. They are both sweet and crisp with a full, juicy flavor. Dazzles were first crossed in New Zealand in 1997 and in development for 20 years.

Organic Smitten Apples
Smitten Apples have complex aromatics and hits of tart behind the sweetness for a balanced flavor. Their skin has a yellow base with a cheeky blush and natural “wild apple” coloration. The flesh is crunchy. Smitten was introduced to the United States in 2011 and is non-GMO and bred by traditional methods.

Honeycrisp Apples
Sweet, crunchy, and a hint of tartness, these may be the perfect eating apples! Honeycrisp apples are juicy with a crisp, soft crunch. Honeycrisp apples are medium-to-large-sized with white flesh. They have a light green-yellow background and are covered with a red-orange flush. The skin is often flecked with russet dots. The flavor is sweet with little acidity.

McIntosh Apples
McIntosh Apples have vivid red skin that is brushed with bright green and exceptionally juicy flesh that is bright white in color. They have a strong sweet-tart taste with nuances of spice. Because the flesh of the McIntosh apple is delicate, it will break down when cooked. Their slightly spicy flavor and juiciness make them a perfect apple for juice and cider.

Crab Apples
Crabapples are small, tart fruits in the same genus as table apples, and some botanists believe that they may be the survivors of wild ancestors of the domesticated apple. They make a delicious jelly and can be combined with other apple varieties in juices and baked goods to enhance flavor.

Enjoy apple season!