Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Choosing apples
• Part 2 of 3: Eating apples fresh
• Part 3 of 3: Cooking with apples
• Tips
• Warnings

An apple is sweet, crunchy and packed with fiber and vitamins, making it one of the most popular fruits in the world. There are literally hundreds of varieties of apples and many different ways to eat them. Learn how to choose and store the best apples, and here are some great ideas for eating them straight or cooked.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Choosing apples

1. Learn about the different types of apples. An apple is just an apple, right? Not when you have a Fuji, Golden Delicious, Baldwin and a Roma to choose from. There are literally hundreds of varieties of apples grown for their different aroma and texture properties. While some are more readily available than others, depending on where you live, with a little basic knowledge you will be able to choose the right type of apple for your taste.
   • If you like sweet apples, choose Fuji, Jazz, Golden Delicious or McIntosh.
   • If you like crunchy apples, have the Pink Lady, Honey Crisp or Gala.
   • If you want to use the apples for baking, or like tart apples, have Granny Smith, Braeburn or Jona gold.
2. Look for ripe apples. In the store, you should check that the apples are firm and fragrant. A ripe apple feels firm and smells like apple at the stem and at the blossom end. Some apples, such as the Macintosh or Jonathan, feel a bit softer because the flesh is a bit more mealy. That's fine. When they smell ripe, they are ready to eat.
   • Watch for bruises, discoloration, and signs of worm infestation in your apples. Apples with soft brown spots or dark holes that appear to enter the pulp should be avoided. Small superficial dark spots on the skin of the apple are fine to eat, however.
   • In general, you are looking for evidence that the apples are overripe, not underripe. Any store-bought apples must be ripe enough to eat right away. Just make sure not to buy overripe apples.
3. Store your apples well. Apples are harvested at their peak of ripeness so they are immediately edible. You can keep them out of the fridge for a week or two.
   • If you don't want to eat the apples right away, keep them in the fridge or in a paper bag. Both methods are good.
   • Saying a bad apple will ruin the rest is more than just an expression.Apples produce ethylene as they ripen, promoting ripening in the other fruits around them. Never keep apples in a closed plastic bag, otherwise they will ripen and spoil very quickly. Stick to paper.
   • If you want to keep a sliced ​​or halved apple, put it in the fridge. Otherwise, the fruit will quickly dry out and turn brown (but a little lemon juice drizzled over the flesh of the apple will help keep it fresher for longer.

Part 2 of 3: Eating apples fresh

1. Eat the whole apple. By far the most common way to eat apples is to bite off them and eat the skin and flesh of the apple straight away, turning the apple around while taking bites. If the apple has a stem, turn it out and throw it away. It is customary to eat up to the hard, plastic-like core of the apple, then discard the core.
   • Contrary to popular belief, the apple core is perfectly edible. By some estimates, eating around the core and throwing it away from the core will wipe out about 30% of the edible pulp. Try to eat the whole fruit, starting from the bottom of the fruit.
   • Apple seeds contain a miniscule amount of cyanide, but in amounts so small that it is not harmful to your health. It is no problem to eat them.
2. You can also chill apples in the fridge for a few hours. It makes a very pleasant and refreshing snack. They can also be eaten with ice cream and caramel poured on top!

Part 3 of 3: Cooking with apples

1. Boil the apples to applesauce. If you've bought too many apples and are concerned that they will spoil before you can eat them all, making your own applesauce is one of the best ways to keep them longer. It couldn't be easier than making applesauce to your taste. You can leave the skin on for extra fiber if you want, or peel the apples if you prefer a smoother applesauce.
   • Start by washing and cutting the fresh apples into bite-sized pieces. Place all pieces in a medium saucepan over low heat, add the apples and a small amount of water to prevent the apples from burning. Reduce the applesauce, stirring regularly, until the desired texture is achieved. Stir the purée regularly, adding brown sugar and cinnamon to taste.
   • You can eat fresh applesauce warm or let it cool to room temperature, then chill it for a cold version. If you want, keep the applesauce in the fridge.
2. Use apples in baking. Apple pies are one of the most iconic and perfect pies, and for good reason: apples are great as a filling for a pie. Apples also make perfect additions to many other baking recipes, adding sweetness, moisture and texture to a variety of dishes. Check out the following baking ideas for creative ways to cook with apples:
   • Apple pie
   • Baked apple
   • Apple cake
   • Vegan apple cake
   • Apple Muffins
3. Make apple juice. Have a look at the ingredient list for ready-made juice. The main ingredient of most? Apple juice. That's because apple juice is sweet, delicious, and easy to mix with other more acidic juices, and combines great. If you have a press, slice the fresh apples and make apple juice to add to other juices, or just drink it and get lots of vitamins.
   • Apple cider is another excellent drink you can make at home, albeit technically slightly different from juice. To make cider, mash apple pieces to a consistency similar to applesauce, then strain the pulp with a cheesecloth. You put the resulting juice in the fridge.
   • Heat the cider and juice on the stove, and add cinnamon, rum, orange zest, cloves and other spicy spices for a great and warm treat.

Tips

• To prevent potatoes from sprouting, add an apple wedge.
• The core is non-toxic and actually very good, but it is preferable not to eat the seeds, as they can have an unpleasant taste. The kernels are also dangerous for younger children.
• Apple wedges in honey make a great Halloween treat for kids. Cover with melted chocolate and stick a kebab stick through it. It is a great alternative to the candy apples you buy at the supermarket.

Warnings

• Be careful when working with sharp knives.
• If you get apple juice on your skin, it will attract insects due to its sticky sweetness. Wipe off juice right away to avoid this problem.