Opal Apple

[AZZenny]

Anybody had one of these babies? Big deep golden yellow with a copper-pink blush... I thought they were just fancified Golden Delicious, but in fact they are a cross of GD with Topaz apple, been in the works for 12 years and just commercially released last year. Plant patent means very restricted availability of trees and fruit; so far only seen them at Safeway.

OK, well -- this is without any question the best eating apple I have ever had in my life, and I've been an apple-lover for over 50 years. Crisp, juicy, dense flesh; rich flavored, sweet-tart, perfect. I shared one with 4 friends last night and every person there agreed it was one of the finest apples they'd ever tasted.

Never imagined modern plant breeding would simply bump aside old classics for flavor, but Opal is so good that if I could find a sapling, I would happily replace my Fuji, Pink Lady, and Anna trees, because I can't imagine why I'd want to eat any of them if Opal is around.

I'm going to try baking one tonight. Most great eating apples don't make the step to being a good baking apple, texture doesn't work or something, so we shall see.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Sounds yummy. Will have to see if my local Safeway has any.

 

[DemsMyBoys]

Zenny, you had me wanting to zip on down to Safeway and get a couple of these. Then I remembered I don't like apples.

 

[Dback Jon]

Zenny, you had me wanting to zip on down to Safeway and get a couple of these. Then I remembered I don't like apples.

What kind of UnAmerican Commie are you??

 

[DemsMyBoys]

What kind of UnAmerican Commie are you??

Well I do like baseball, hot dogs, Chevys (and Moms) so I'm kind of hoping to keep my citizenship.

 

[Dback Jon]

Well I do like baseball, hot dogs, Chevys (and Moms) so I'm kind of hoping to keep my citizenship.

The Committee for UnAmerican Activities will keep that in mind when reviewing your case file.



So, DMB, what type of FRUITS do you like???

 

[DemsMyBoys]

The Committee for UnAmerican Activities will keep that in mind when reviewing your case file.



So, DMB, what type of FRUITS do you like???

How well do we know each other?


(Horrible laughter. Horrible! <<Wipes tears from eyes.) Oh, gosh, I hope you appreciate my sense of humor. <<reaches for inhaler>>)

 

[Dback Jon]

 

[Jersey Girl]

You guys crack me up!

 

[Pariah]

Zanny--how'd it bake?

 

[HeavyB3]

Hey, I just planted a few apple trees. Its off topic to the thread, but any advice? I have 2 Fuji apple trees and one Golden Dorsett.

 

[AZZenny]

OK, new fruit find -- Black Velvet Apriums. I've never been that excited about pluots, the 3/4 plum, 1/4 apricot fruits -- just expensive plums. But I love good apricots, and saw these at Sprouts so bagged a few. Didn't realize this was an aprium -- 3/4 apricot, 1/4 plum -- until after I had scarfed down a couple and looked them up online, thinking they might be some rare foreign variety. (yeah, what was I thinking?!)

They look like a slightly fuzzy-skinned, deep blue-purple plum on the outside, and inside is an exceptionally juicy and sweet golden apricot, and if I can find myself a tree anyplace, I am planting one of these babies. Like Opal apples, though, it's a fairly new, closely-protected crop and trees are not commercially available yet, as far as I can tell.

 

[Linderbee]

Zanny--how'd it bake?

Has this been resolved??

OK, new fruit find -- Black Velvet Apriums. I've never been that excited about pluots, the 3/4 plum, 1/4 apricot fruits -- just expensive plums. But I love good apricots, and saw these at Sprouts so bagged a few. Didn't realize this was an aprium -- 3/4 apricot, 1/4 plum -- until after I had scarfed down a couple and looked them up online, thinking they might be some rare foreign variety. (yeah, what was I thinking?!)

They look like a slightly fuzzy-skinned, deep blue-purple plum on the outside, and inside is an exceptionally juicy and sweet golden apricot, and if I can find myself a tree anyplace, I am planting one of these babies. Like Opal apples, though, it's a fairly new, closely-protected crop and trees are not commercially available yet, as far as I can tell.

Sounds delicious!

 

[AZZenny]

Opal didn't bake particularly well -- might be OK for tarte tatin where a little solider apple is wanted, but I think it's mainly an eating apple.