Apples have a sweet taste, crunchy texture, and are high in fiber and vitamins, which make them one of the most popular fruit snacks in the world. There are literally hundreds of types of edible apples and many different ways to eat apples. Learn how to pick the best apples, how to store apples, and the fun idea of eating apples raw or cooked first.
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Part 1 of 3: Picking Apples
Step 1. Recognize the various types of apples
Apples are just apples, right? Not when you have a selection of Fuji, Golden Delicious, Baldwin, and Roma apples to choose from. There are literally hundreds of varieties of edible apples, developed with different properties of fruit taste and texture. While some types of apples are available in certain places and may be hard to find elsewhere, depending on where you live, learning some basics on how to pick apples will help you find the right apple for your taste.
- If you like sweet apples, Fuji, Jazz, Golden Delicious, and McIntosh apples have a soft texture and sweet taste.
- If you like apples with a crunchy texture, the Pink Lady, Honey Crisp, and Gala apples are the right types of apples to satisfy your cravings.
- If you want to make a cake with your apples, or like a tart with apples, the Granny Smiths, Braeburns, and Jona golds apple varieties are great choices.
Step 2. Look for ripe apples
At the store, make sure the apples are fragrant and firm to the touch. Ripe apples should feel firm to the touch and smell like apples when they are on the trunk and at the end of the blooming season. Some apples, such as the Macintosh or the Jonathan, will feel a little soft to the touch, because these apples have a starchy flesh. It does not matter. If the apple has an odor that indicates a ripe apple, it is ready to eat.
- Look for bruising, discoloration, and signs of worm life in your apples. Apples that have soft brown spots or black holes that burrow into the flesh should be avoided. A little dark spot on the skin of the apple is okay and still edible.
- In general, you're looking for signs of an overripe apple, not an unripe apple. All the apples you get from the store should be ripe enough to eat. You're just trying to make sure you don't get apples that are too old.
Step 3. Store apples properly
Apples are harvested at the peak of ripeness, so apples are perfect for eating right away. You can keep apples in storage for a day or two.
- If you don't want to eat your apples right now, or prefer cold ones, store them in the refrigerator in a paper bag. In a good way.
- The saying that one bad apple will spoil another bunch of fruit is more than just an ordinary expression. Apples produce ethylene when they ripen, which can ripen other fruits around the apple. Never store apples in a sealed plastic bag, or they will ripen and rot very quickly. Store apples in paper bags.
- If you want to store apples that have been cut or apples that have been halved, store them in the refrigerator. This method will make the apples dry and brown very quickly, but a little lemon juice on the flesh will keep the apples fresh for a longer time.
Part 2 of 3: Eating an Apple Raw (Without Cooking)
Step 1. Rinse the skin of the apple
Wash your apples under running water, and rub the outside of the apples with a clean towel to clean the apples of excess pollen and dust from the store. Then bite the apple or cut the apple to eat.
- Some commercially available apples are coated with a thin layer of food-grade wax (a class of materials suitable for use in food products), if the tree from which the apples originate has been sprayed. While people have differing opinions on the food safety issues associated with eating this type of apple, this type of apple is widely consumed and is technically approved for consumption.
- If you're concerned about the pesticide in the wax around your apple skin, remove the peel. Use a paring knife to carefully remove the skin of the apple, avoiding removing the flesh as much as possible.
- The apples contain the most fiber and contain a compound called ursolic acid, which is linked to weight loss, respiratory health, and blood sugar regulation.
Step 2. Eat the whole apple
By far the most common ways to eat apples are by biting and eating the skin and flesh of the apple, twisting the apple and biting other parts of the apple. If there is a stem from the apple, twist the stem and remove the apple stem. It is very common to eat an apple up to the hard part of the apple, the core of the apple, which has the tiny seeds, and remove the seeds.
- Contrary to popular belief, the "core" of an apple is edible. According to some estimates, eating an apple and leaving the core of the apple will waste 30% of the apple's flesh. Try to eat the whole apple, starting at the bottom of the apple.
- Apple seeds contain very small amounts of cyanide, but in such small amounts that it will not affect your health. It's okay to eat apple seeds.
Step 3. Consider chopping the apples
If you want to chop the apples into smaller pieces or make them into a sauce, use a small paring knife to remove the core from the apples and cut the apples into bite-sized chunks of your choice.
- Cut the apple in half, from the stem to the bottom to split the core of the apple into two halves. Then, you can cut each part of the apple into pieces.
- It's always a good idea to remove the seeds at the core of the apple using a small paring knife.
- Alternatively, cut the apple through the "middle," the apple between the stem and the bottom of the apple, cutting through the core instead of cutting the apple from top to bottom.
Step 4. Eat apple slices using toppings or sprinkles, or sauces
Raw apple slices make an excellent combination with sauces and toppings, making them perfect as an afternoon snack, breakfast, or fun dish for kids.
- Dip apples in honey, caramel, or peanut butter for a quick and fun snack. Even picky eaters love dipping apples in peanut butter. Making apple caramel can be a fun cooking project with kids (or adults).
- Eat slices of cheddar or Swiss cheese with apple slices to combine salty and sweet flavors, or combine apples with sunflower seeds, nuts, almonds, or a combination of other grains and nuts for a protein boost.
Step 5. Consider refrigerating the apples for a few hours
Apples will make a very tasty and fresh snack! Apples can also be served with ice cream or caramel sauce.
Part 3 of 3: Cooking Using Apples
Step 1. Make the applesauce
If you've bought too many apples and you're worried that they'll go bad before you can eat them, making your own applesauce is one of the best ways to preserve your apples. It's easy to make applesauce to your taste. You can use the skin of the apple for fiber content, if you prefer, or remove the skin of the apple if you prefer a milder applesauce.
- Start by washing and chopping your raw apples into small chunks at a time. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the apples and a little water to keep the apples from burning. Allow the applesauce to cook, stirring frequently, until the applesauce reaches your desired specifications. Stir the applesauce periodically, and add brown sugar and cinnamon to make the applesauce to your liking.
- You can eat the warm applesauce straight away or let the applesauce come to room temperature, then refrigerate the applesauce for a chilled version of the applesauce. Store the applesauce in the refrigerator if you want to store the sauce.
Step 2. Bake the apples
Apple pie is one of the best known pies and the perfect pie has a reason; apples make an excellent filling for pies. Apples are also the perfect addition to many different baking projects, adding sweetness, moisture and texture to a wide variety of dishes. Check out these baking ideas for creative ways to cook using apples:
- Apple pie
- Baked apple
- Apple cake
- Vegan apple cake
- Apple muffins
Step 3. Make apple juice
See the ingredient list of commercial juices. Fruit raw material used from most juices? Apple juice. Because apple juice has a sweet, delicious taste, and is easy to mix with other sour juices to create delicious combinations. If you have a juicer, sliced raw apples and apple juice, apple juice makes a good mix to mix with other juices or drink straight to get the many vitamins from apple juice.
- Apple cider or other beverages can be excellent drinks you can make at home, although cider is technically a little different from juice. To make cider, puree the apple slices (food with the texture of a soft paste or thick liquid) to similar specifications to applesauce, then strain the apple cider using a cloth. Store apple cider in the refrigerator.
- Warm cider and apple juice on the stove, adding cinnamon, rum, orange zest, cloves, and other spicy additions to make a perfect dish for a warm-weather holiday.
Tips
- Serving apples with honey is an excellent Halloween dish for your child. Also try coating the apples with melted chocolate and with kebab skewers. This method is a good alternative to candy apples that you usually buy.
- To prevent the potatoes from sprouting, put the apples in the bag.
- The core of the apple is non-toxic and actually has a fairly good taste and content.
Warning
- If you get apple juice that dries on your skin, the juice will attract insects because they are attracted to something sweet and sticky. Wipe immediately.
- Be careful when you use a sharp knife.
