North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["David M. Taylor" <dmtaylor@lakefield.net>]

As for odd flavored apples, there are lots!  Here are just a few that I have 
tasted:

The apple variety Empress has a very pronounced black licorice flavor.  I 
can occasionally pick up a hint of anise/licorice from most of the 
McIntosh-family varieties including Cortland, Jonamac, etc., but Empress 
takes the prize!

Hudson's Golden Gem is an apple that tastes quite a bit like a pear.  You 
may get similar character from lots of other varieties that are heavily 
russeted (which Hudson's is).

Last year I tried a Lady Alice apple, and I thought it tasted a little like 
lemon and/or ginger.  But then this year I didn't pick up the same 
complexity.

Opal to me tastes a lot like apricot.

> From Fuji I often pick up a certain artificial grape flavor.

They say Sweet 16 is supposed to taste like cherry licorice or almond, but I 
didn't detect it in my tastings.  However...

Sweet 16's parent is Malinda, and from that one, I most certainly do pick up 
a huge almond flavor.

I've tasted a little known variety called Yarwood Crab that I thought had a 
mozzerella cheese-like flavor, but without the salt of course.

Finally, a little off-topic, but for anyone who has lived in the Milwaukee 
area, I think I've finally figured out the secret ingredient to the old 
Candy Raisins (which sadly are no longer made with the same recipe and which 
will never be duplicated accurately).  There is a pear variety called French 
Butter that when ripe tastes precisely like the old Candy Raisins of my 
youth.  Yum.  For the bulk of you who have never tasted Candy Raisins, too 
bad.... but you can have a good pear instead!

Taste is subjective.  Don't take my word as truth, or anyone else's.  Taste 
them for yourself.  If you can get your hands on them.

--
Dave
"Newton not living... I am there to catch her."

----- Original Message ----- 
> Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2012 08:00:27 -0700 (PDT)
> From: William McNam <billmcnam@yahoo.com>
> Subject: [nafex] cimmamin/nutmeg flavoured apple?
> To: david.maxwell@dal.ca, nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
> Message-ID:
> <1347548427.63604.BPMail_high_carrier@web46210.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> I have heard that there are apple varieties with a licorice taste. Perhaps 
> someone knows these.
> Does anyone know of apple varieties/selections with other very 
> unusual/distinctive flavours?
>
> Has anyone come across an apple that tastes like a pear?