Buy apples which are firm and their skins are clear, unbroken and free from any bruises. Apples should keep for about 2 weeks if stored properly away from direct sunlight. It is a useful source of Vitamin C and its skin contains a lot of fibre. Apples are eaten as snacks, as part of a dessert or simply used in cooking.

As we know it, apples are divided into two categories, the ones we eat and the ones we use for cooking. The former have more flavour, the latter are too tart to be eaten on their own.

Cooking Apples are used in many food combinations. They can be simply poached in water and sugar, or even baked or stewed. Being rich in pectin, these kinds of apples are mostly used when making jams, pickles and chutneys. The most common cooking apples are Bramleys, Lord Derby, Macintosh and Newton Wonder.

Bramleys: considered the queen of cooking apples it is green in colour with red patches; firm and solid but with a tender flesh and slightly acidic in taste.

Lord Derby: greenish yellow in colour with a soft and tender flesh. It unfortunately has a short shelf life.

McIntosh: bright red having a rough brownish skin. Its flesh is white, juicy and slightly aromatic.

Newton Wonder: large and firm apple having a sweet flesh. It is one of the kinds of apples that keeps very well.

Eating Apples: there is a larger variety of eating apples than there is of cooking ones. Eating apples can be enjoyed simply on their own, with cheese, in fresh fruit salads, pies, tarts or puddings. When sliced, brush the apple with lemon juice to prevent it from browning.

Blenheim: orange in colour with red streaks, this largish apple has a crisp and juicy flesh.

Cox: the most popular apple amongst us. It is relatively small in size, greenish, yellow in colour with red streaks. It is tender, crisp and juicy and has an amazingly good shelf life.

Crispin: this apple of Japanese origins is quite large with a yellowy skin and has a rather good flavour.

Gala: widely available, gala apples have a tough orangeish red skin. They are of medium size and have a sweet, crisp taste.

Golden Delicious: of a green yellow colour, these apples have a crisp, white flesh and a clean taste.

Granny Smith: these are the sharpest tasting apples of the eating variety. They are bright green with a crisp, juicy flesh.

Red Delicious: having a tough waxy skin, this shiny red variety has a soft yellow flesh.

Royal Gala: they are smaller than Gala apples with a red skin, which is streaked with yellow, and having a firm sweet flesh.

Juicing
As a juice, apples marry well with all other fruit or vegetable juices. On its own it has quite a sweet flavour and has a pale golden colour. Try juicing equal quantities of apple and carrot, or equal quantities of apple and orange and a handful of fresh mint leaves. Heavenly revitalizing leaving you charged and boosted to take on anything.

Other ways with apples

Apples are used to make liqueur in France. This apple brandy is known as Calvados in Europe whereas its counterpart in America is known as Applejack. Apple brandy is served as an aperitif or as after dinner liqueur. It is quite harsh and leaves a firey aftertaste. It is used a lot in cooking as it gives off an apple flavour to all dishes.

The most beautiful fact about apples is that when they are dried they do not lose their Vitamin C content at all. Dried apples are usually sold as rings. They can be snacked upon or added to cereal to make a substantial meal out of breakfast. Dried apples can be soaked for a few hours and added to crumbles or pies.

Having an extremely high level of pectin, apples are the basis of any good homemade jam or chutney. Crowned the queen of preserving, apples have a million and one uses in any types of cooking.

Health Benefits

Very low in calories, apples contain only 46K per 100g. They are rich in beta-carotene, folic acid, Vitamin C and small amounts of Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, biotin and Vitamin E. They are rich in calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and small amounts of copper and zinc. It is a medicine chest all in one piece of fruit.

Apples hailed as the universal doctor, are good for you. Just looking at its vibrant colours makes you want to reach out for one and dig your teeth into its juicy, crisp flesh.

It's pure stimulus invigorating body and soul, calming your hunger pangs and quenching your thirst, leaving you sated and replenished to go on with things.