The Perfect Apple

Finding the “perfect” apple for apple pie, based on apples available in Dubai. I believe the perfect apple-pie-apple should be full of flavour, with good texture and some acidity.

The contenders and results on a scale of 1-5, based on Flavour (F), Texture (T), Acidity (A), Water Content (W):

1. Golden “Val Venosta” (Italy) – F:0.5 / T:0 / A:4 / W:4
2. Golden Del “Washington” (USA) – F:0 / T:0 / A:3.5 / W:4
3. Golden (Iran) – F:3 / T:1 / A:0 / W:3
4. Golden Jumbo “Le Crunch” (France) – F:3 / T:1 / A:2.5 / W:4
5. Pink Lady (New Zealand) – F:5 / T:3 / A:3 / W:2.5
6. Ariane (France) – F:5 / T:4 / A:1 / W:3
7. Red Gala “Stemilt” (USA) – F:3 / T:2 / A:1.5 / W:2.5
8. Royal Gala “Le Crunch” (France) – F:0.5 / T:5 / A:1 / W:4
9. Red “Riviera” (Italy) – n/a (apple was overripe)

The winner: The Pink Lady

Note: It was my first time tasting the Ariane from France and I was immensely impressed. Amazing flavour!

Ariane

The Royal Gala “Le Crunch” from France was the crunchiest apple I’ve ever eaten! Although lacking in flavour, it’s good to keep it in mind as a healthy snack as it’s juicy and crunchy, with subtle flavours reminiscent of nashi pear.