The Honeycrisp is fine, but I don't love the trend of Apple varieties that taste like jolly ranchers (super sweet and crisp - see also Pink Lady or Jazz). Old fashioned apple varieties like Macintosh and even Red Delicious can be great in season from local farms - I had a Red Delicious today I would take over any Honeycrisp. I have friends who only eat Honeycrisp, I feel old when I complain that it's not a real apple…
The Curse of the Honeycrisp Apple
81–90 of 106 posts
Re: The Curse of the Honeycrisp Apple
#82Earlier quoted context omitted.
Speaking of [color]berries, have you trued blackcurrants, redcurrants and whitecurrants?
Currants are [mostly] unknown in the USA. Biggest reason is the ban on black currants cultivation from a 100 years ago. I don't care much for fresh red or white currants (they are good in jams though), but black currant is something I really miss here.
Re: The Curse of the Honeycrisp Apple
#83The Honeycrisp is fine, but I don't love the trend of Apple varieties that taste like jolly ranchers (super sweet and crisp - see also Pink Lady or Jazz). Old fashioned apple varieties like Macintosh and even Red Delicious can be great in season from local farms - I had a Red Delicious today I would take over any Honeycrisp. I have friends who only eat Honeycrisp, I feel old when I complain that it's not a real apple…
Re: The Curse of the Honeycrisp Apple
#84This is one of the silliest articles I've ever read. > "Though it succeeded beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, along the way it became a nightmare for some producers, forcing small Northeastern growers to compete with their massive, climatically advantaged counterparts on the West Coast." > Prices for Honeycrisps Can Be 2-3x Other Apples > "So why do farmers put up with the hassle? They simply don’t have a choice. The d…
And, as the article says, who knows when you’ll need to switch to the next variety.
Re: The Curse of the Honeycrisp Apple
#85This is one of the silliest articles I've ever read. > "Though it succeeded beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, along the way it became a nightmare for some producers, forcing small Northeastern growers to compete with their massive, climatically advantaged counterparts on the West Coast." > Prices for Honeycrisps Can Be 2-3x Other Apples > "So why do farmers put up with the hassle? They simply don’t have a choice. The d…
It’s a curse if you were a small orchard happily growing another apple variety. No one wants your apples anymore so you have to rip out all your trees an plant new one. (Side note: Really you’re grafting new branches.) That’s a lot of capital investment for a family business that might have been eeking along already. And, as the article says, who knows when you’ll need to switch to the next variety.
Re: The Curse of the Honeycrisp Apple
#86This is one of the silliest articles I've ever read. > "Though it succeeded beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, along the way it became a nightmare for some producers, forcing small Northeastern growers to compete with their massive, climatically advantaged counterparts on the West Coast." > Prices for Honeycrisps Can Be 2-3x Other Apples > "So why do farmers put up with the hassle? They simply don’t have a choice. The d…
I'm from Minnesota but have lived recently in a neighboring state. There is a very popular orchard near where we live. Part of its appeal has been the variety of apple varieties they had. Too many heirlooms to list, along with modern varieties such as honeycrisp. A few years ago I noticed the new owners (the old one retired because of age) were ripping out many of the heirloom varieties and replacing them with honeycrisp. This had been going on but accelerated. When I talked to them, they basically explained that the other varieties were popular, but honeycrisp brought in much more money and was in very high demand.
I think honeycrisp is a great apple, but there are many many great apple varieties, and I get frustrated by the focus on honeycrisp in particular. There's nothing wrong with supplying what's in demand, but I do have a problem with demand being sooo hyperfocused. People get so obsessed with one variety, and then a little later move on to the next big thing.
People become obsessed with honeycrisp, growers rip out other varieties, breed honeycrisp-tasting new varieties, then people get sick of it because it's all honeycrisp, honeycrisp, honeycrisp. They want something different, and then it all happens over again.
People want what they want, I suppose, but to me it seems pretty fickle and destructive.
Re: The Curse of the Honeycrisp Apple
#87This is one of the silliest articles I've ever read. > "Though it succeeded beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, along the way it became a nightmare for some producers, forcing small Northeastern growers to compete with their massive, climatically advantaged counterparts on the West Coast." > Prices for Honeycrisps Can Be 2-3x Other Apples > "So why do farmers put up with the hassle? They simply don’t have a choice. The d…
Re: The Curse of the Honeycrisp Apple
#88I just want to say that I spent my childhood eating terrible red delicious apples and honey crisp apples are a revelation and I don’t care if they cost $18/pound they’re still worth it.
Re: The Curse of the Honeycrisp Apple
#89Honeycrisp have been on sale a lot lately (99 cents a pound a week ago)
Honeycrisp is good, but it just seems sort of hollow and doesn't really leave you feeling any fuller at the end. It also doesn't seem to have much depth of flavor. It's just sweet.