Empire Apples
What are Empire apples like?
Empire apples are sweet, tart, and juicy. They’re a cross between Red Delicious and MacIntosh, so if you love the sweetness of the Red Delicious, but you appreciate a little tart flavor, this would be a great apple for you.
We are not always able to offer Empire Apples, so make sure you snatch them up when you can!
Best Uses
Great for fresh eating, applesauce, apple butter, apple juice.
Are Empire apples good for storage?
No
All About Our IPM Apples
These apples are grown by a family that we’ve worked with for several years now, and we’ve never been disappointed with the quality of their fruit. As is the case with most of our other ‘conventional’ fruits, these apples are grown using a method of farming known as Integrated Pest Management, which makes it possible to spray minimally.
When to Order What
In general, the earlier apples are best for fresh eating and applesauce, while the later varieties make better winter storage apples. And of course, the cooler late fall weather helps the late apples to keep better too. Here’s a helpful apple chart that shows all the varieties we typically offer and the best uses for each. Our apples are usually available from September through December or January.
Putting Apples By
Surely, every family has their own favorite way to use apples. Here are a few ideas to help make yours last as long as possible.
- Canned or frozen applesauce
- Frozen apple slices – great for pies, sauce, cakes, smoothies, and crisps.
- Canned or frozen apple pie filling
Here’s a handy apple chart that shows which apples are best for what purpose.