North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Jwlehman@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/27/2005 1:17:55 PM US Eastern Standard Time, lucky.pittman@murraystate.edu writes:

> Can't recall when I've had a grocery store Red Delicious that was worth eating, but have had some home-grown ones that were excellent - probably one of the earlier sports of the original Hawkeye - as they weren't even solid red - and didn't really have that conical shape that the general public has come to expect in a RD.
>
> Lucky 


Hello Lucky, etl.,

Let me expand on what you said.  I believe the original variety what was named Delicious (may have been Hawkeye Red Del.) is several sports removed from what we see in the grocery stores these days.  As I've been told (or read) down through the years Red delicious has mutated many times and when the sport was prettier (darker red or shape) those mutations were propagated. But like so many other fruits being selected for marketing, appearance was consideration #1, not flavor. My understanding agrees with yours, the first variety was red striped not solid and did taste better. Result, today's market Red Delicious should really be called Tastless Pretty Red rather than Red Delicious.

Ed Fackler, can you confirm this?

Jerry