Are you ready for crunch time? Fall’s best apples with 12 recipes

Apples are one of the few fruits for which grocery stores still offer a choice of varieties. Try finding different types of oranges, or even tangerines (of which, there are dozens of great types). But when it comes to apples, you can reliably find at least a half-dozen types.

That’s both a blessing and a curse. We have so many to choose from, but eventually we do have to choose.

So which do you pick? That’s not an easy question to answer. To a certain extent, it depends on nothing more than what you like – do you prefer a tangy apple or a buttery one? And what are you going to do with it –cook it or eat it raw? If you’re going to cook it, how? And if you’re going to eat it raw, when?

When it comes to common varieties, Granny Smith, Jonathan, McIntosh and Pippin are among the tartest apples. Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious and Jonathan are the most buttery. If you want a bit of spice, buy Galas or Braeburns.

When it comes to cooking apples, the big choice is between fruit that will break down (for dishes like applesauce and apple butter), or fruit that will remain whole (for pies, etc.). For the former, choose apples such as McIntosh, Jonagold and Rome Beauty. For that perfect pie, you’ll want Granny Smith, Gala, Fuji and Golden Delicious, in roughly descending order of firmness.

All of this is complicated by two more factors – where the apple was grown and how long ago it was picked.

Some of the best apples I’ve ever eaten (crisp, tart, spicy and juicy) are Pink Ladies grown in the Cuyama Valley. But I’ve had the same variety grown other places that were flat and uninteresting.

And some apples store better than others – two of the main varieties in California’s early season are Gala and Fuji. Both can be really good apples, but the Gala needs to be eaten within a couple of weeks (at most a month) of harvest, while the Fuji will last much longer.

When you go to farmers markets, all apple bets are off. That’s where you’ll find varieties you may never have heard from. Your only recourse (and always a good idea anyway) is to ask the farmer – he’ll know what his apples are good for.

How to choose: Because apples vary so much in color and shape, there are few hard and fast rules to selecting the best. In general, look for apples that are smooth-skinned, deeply colored and glossy.

How to store: Apples should be stored as cold as possible. Keep them in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator. A perforated plastic bag works best, as it allows some of the moisture to escape while keeping the apples crisp.

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