Macoun Apple
By: Anonymous

About

Pronounced "MaCowan," this is a hybrid apple created in New York State in the 1920s. Features bright white flesh that is crunchy and juicy. Flavor profile is sweet and sour. Good for cooking or baking and eating raw. Many people regard this as one of the World's best apple varieties.

Information
Other names: Apple
Translations: マカウンアップル, Macoun أبل, Macoun 애플, Macoun אפל, Мацоун јабука, एप्पल Macoun, Макаун Apple, 麦康苹果, Макаун Apple


Physical Description
Short and stout round medium sized apple, dark red with blazes of yellow and green. The flesh is crunchy and very white.
Colors: Skin: Red, Yellow, Green Flesh: pure white


Tasting Notes
Flavors: Sour, Sweet
Mouthfeel: Crunchy, A bit astringent
Food complements: Cheddar cheese
Beverage complements: Porter beer, Stout beer
Substitutes: Honeycrisp apple


Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: september, opctober, november, december
Peak: opctober, november
Choosing: Look for very firm Macouns, when tapped lightly with finger tips they should have a slightly hollow sounding thump. Macouns don't last very long, losing their hallmark crunch and becoming mealy within weeks of picking, even if stored under refrigeration, so you want to buy them as close to picking as possible.
Buying: Macouns are primarily grown in New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. There are some growers in Washington and Oregon, but it is best know as an East Coast apple. If possible it's best to buy directly from growers since these apples don't store or travel very well. There are some orchards that sell on the Internet will ship directly.


Preparation and Use
Best eaten raw. Can be make into pies, apple sauce, or baked with cinnamon and brown sugar.
Cleaning: Simply wash and eat whole, the skin isn't overly tough or bitter like some apples.


Conserving and Storing
Keep in a cool place not contained in a bag of any kind, apples put off ethylene gas, which accelerates ripening and then spoiling.
Great for making apple sauce.


Social/Political

History: The macoun was developed at Cornell University's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY in 1923. It's a cross between the Mclntosh and Jersey Black apples and was named for the famous Canadian fruit breeder, Dr. William Tyrrell Macoun.