The Honeycrisp Apple

“I had also planned to stop a Herbert’s Orchard and pick a basket of apples.” 

He could do apples. There was a small family store on-site that featured homemade fudge, pies, jams, jellies, and maple syrup, plus Maine-made crafts and gifts.  

“Do you have a favorite apple?” he asked.  

“Two favorites, actually. The Honeycrisp for sweetness and crunch, and the Ginger Gold, sliced with a sharp cheddar cheese on salads. How about you?”  

“MacIntosh, all-around good. The best for pies, in my mom’s opinion.”  

-Kate Angell, The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice  

Name: Honeycrisp (also known as Honeycrunch apple in Europe) 

Origin: The Honeycrisp was developed in the Twin Cities by the University of Minnesota’s fruit breeding program in 1991. At first, it was thought the parents of the Honeycrisp were the Macoun and Honeygold apples. However, years later when DNA analysis was completed it turns out that this wasn’t the case! It was found that the Keepsake apple was a parent of the Honeycrisp apple. Almost a decade later, the MN 1627 was found to be the other missing parent. It was adopted as the State of Minnesota apple in 2006!

Appearance: Mostly beautiful blush red with hues of yellow

Flavor: It’s crunchy, sweet and juicy! 

Texture: Very crisp

Season: Mid September–early October 

Storage: 4–6 months refrigerated 

Use: Premier eating apple! Also fantastically sweet for cooking or baking.

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