Market Basket Apple & Pear Offerings
Fall is here, and the season is ripe for Apples and Pears!
Market Basket has many great varieties to offer for your delicious fall recipes throughout the season.
With so many to choose from, you’ll be sure to find your favorite fruity “pear”!
Apples
![]() GalaThe Gala apple is a widely grown apple variety that is a cross between Kidd’s Orange Red and Golden Delicious. You can always depend on Gala apples to deliver high-quality flavor year-round – they are able to flourish in a wide range of temperatures in apple-growing regions. Its sweet taste and crispy texture is an all-round pleaser to many.
Availability: August – June
It is great for:
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![]() Red DeliciousThe Red Delicious apple is the most famous American apple to be grown. Its dark and intense crimson color makes it the quintessential red apple. The Red Delicious apple’s sweet and mild flavor, as well as its beautiful red skin, makes it a perfect choice for any recipe that calls for the skin to be left on – such as an apple rose pie!
Availability: September – June It is great for: |
![]() Golden DeliciousWhen you think of an apple, red ones usually come to mind… but here’s a green variety that’s just as great! The Golden Delicious apple is a popular apple variety with a long shelf-life and a sweet rich flavor. It is a versatile variety that can be used in many recipes, and offers a great flavor!
Availability: October – April It is great for:
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![]() Granny SmithThe Granny Smith is one of the most famous and recognizable green apples in the apple family. It was discovered in Australia in the 1860s, and the rest is history. This is a versatile apple that can be used in many recipes, and it has a very long shelf-life thanks to its thick skin. The Granny Smith is a crisp, hard apple with a very sharp taste.
Availability: Year Round It is great for:
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![]() BraeburnBored with your typical apples? The Braeburn apple’s depth of flavor is sure to please. It is crisp, not too hard, and very juicy. It has a strong apple flavor but it is not too sweet or tart. It is the first of the modern apples to be categorized as a “bi-colored” variety.
Availability: October – April It is great for:
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![]() FujiThe Fuji is another modern apple variety with a pink speckled flush over a yellow-green color. The flavor is sweet and very refreshing, with a crisp texture. It is considered one of the most attractive apples in appearance and is available year-round in our stores!
Availability: September – June It is great for:
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![]() Pink LadyThis apple sure lives up to its name. Its pink color makes it one of the best-looking apples available! Did you know that the Pink Lady apple is one of the first apples to be sold under a brand name rather than its variety name? However, this assures that all Pink Lady apples meet high-quality standards in appearance and flavor.
Availability: November – April It is great for:
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![]() KoruThe Koru apple is available in late spring through summer. It originated from New Zealand and is a cross between Fuji and Braeburn apples. It is also available domestically from New York during the Fall & Winter season! It keeps its shape when baked, and is ideal for salads as well. Koru apples are sweet, juicy, and crunchy, but with a subtle tartness.
Availability: October – July It is great for:
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![]() HoneycrispThe Honeycrisp is one of the most sought after varieties of apples, with a sweet flavor, little trace of acidity, and little complexity. It’s a refreshing apple with a crispy, crunchy texture. But be careful, Honeycrisps can bruise easily!
Availability: August – April It is great for:
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Ginger GoldThe Ginger Gold apple is one of the first to be ready for harvest from the late summer season. It is perfect for eating out-of-hand as a snack, with a long shelf-life and sweet and mildly tart taste. It looks just as beautiful as it tastes too!
Availability: August – November It is great for:
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EmpireThis maroon-colored apple is a family favorite across the US. The Empire apple does not bruise easily and is sweet and crispy, making it a lunch-time staple. It is native to the northeastern United States, and a favorite among growers because of its easy maintenance, strong tree, and of course, delicious flavor!
Availability: September – June It is great for:
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CortlandDid you know that most Cortland apples in the United States are produced in New York state? It is also grown across the border in Quebec and Ontario, as the Cortland apple can handle freezing temperatures! Supporting local farmers, we also source a lot of our Cortland apples from our New England farms. It’s a sweet apple that does not brown as quickly as other apples when cut.
Availability: September – January It is great for:
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McintoshUnlike some of the other apple varieties that require warm temperatures, the McIntosh tastes best when grown in colder regions. It has a very attractive dark red or crimson color with a crunchy bite. It is sweet, with refreshing acidity. This uniqueness to McIntosh apples makes it very easy to identify.
Availability: September – June It is great for:
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MacounThe Macoun is best for making European style apple pies, as it doesn’t breakdown when baked and remains firm. Because Macoun apples have a very short stem, they push each other off of the tree as they mature and grow! It has a sweet and tart flavor similar to the McIntosh.
Availability: September – January It is great for:
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Pears
BartlettFun fact! Bartlett pears are known as Williams pears in Europe. It was discovered in England, and a nurseryman named Mr. Williams of Turnham Green named it after himself. When the newly discovered pear variety was sent to the United States as a sample, it quickly became popular since it was so easy to grow in this country’s climate. But the name was lost in the shuffle, so a Boston nurseryman named it after himself, “Bartlett”. Best Use: Make pear jam or pear butter, as they breakdown nicely when cooked while keeping its flavor! |
BoscThe Bosc is a widely grown pear with a French origin, firm buttery flesh, and golden russeted skin. It has a crisp and woodsy texture with a honey sweetness. You don’t have to wait until Bosc pears are fully ripe to enjoy them, as they are sweeter and more flavorful early in the ripening process! Best Use: Eat fresh or use for cooking |
Red PearThis eye-catching Red Pear is a must-have for your autumn fruit centerpiece with its brilliant red skin. Let this pear ripen at room temperature. Use this pear for recipes that call for the skin to be left on for a different color variety! Best Use: Poached pear |
D’AnjouRefreshingly sweet and juicy, the d’Anjou pear is so delicious and versatile that many chefs prefer to use it as their go-to pear. It holds up well when cooked, so it makes for a great all-round pear. Best Use: Pies and tarts, as they can withstand high temperatures. |
ForelleThe Forelle is also a smaller pear variety, although it is a little larger than a Seckel. You can distinguish this pear by the red freckles all over its skin. Forelles are best eaten ripe, so make sure to let them ripen by leaving them out at room temperature. This variety makes for beautiful centerpieces with its green-red freckled skin, and sweet tangy flavor that makes it a great snacking pear! Best Use: Pair with wine and cheese *Available in October! |
SeckelThis bite-sized, crunchy pear is perfect for snacking as it is very sweet compared to other pear varieties. Its small size also makes it perfect for canning, or giving as a very cute present! The Seckel is usually green, but can sometimes have a maroon blush, making it just as pretty to look at as it is delicious. Best Use: Canning |
ComiceYou can distinguish a Comice pear by its round body and short, well-defined neck. Comice pear can be green to red in color, and often given as gifts during Christmas. It comes in a variety of sizes, and is beautiful to look at! The sweet, buttery flesh of this pear makes it great for “pearing” with cheese. Who knew! Best Use: Eat fresh, or add to salads |
Recipe Ideas
These apples and pears taste great on their own, but what if you want to try something different? Well apples and pears both shine bright as culinary favorites in a variety of recipes! Here are some suggested ideas for you to try this fall:
- Candied Apples, Classic & Caramel
Candied apples are fall festival favorites! Now you can enjoy them at your home, or make them for your own autumn-themed parties. Super quick and easy to make, and very pretty too! - Apple Crumble
Here’s a homemade favorite among many, and as an added bonus it fills your home with that delicious, sweet apple aroma! Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, and you’re now in autumn heaven. - Pear Butter
Before you reach for that butter on your toast, try this fall-favorite Pear Butter! What better way to start your morning than to fully enjoy the sweet and refreshing taste of pears with your breakfast? Makes for wonderful gifts that are sure to be Insta-worthy and delicious too!