Apples are so interesting because the old ones were definitely pretty bland, and not for eating fresh. More for cooking into pies, or cider. But also we’ve experienced some apple enshittification due to mass marketing/long distance shipping. Imo peak apple varietals for direct eating are ones that were popular in the 1920’s/30’s; in the context of the USA, these mean the orchards planted by New Deal/CCC operations are usually a good bet. Where I live there are a bunch of abandoned, semi-feral orchards from this era and it rules.
Apples are so interesting because the old ones were definitely pretty bland, and not for eating fresh. More for cooking into pies, or cider. But also we’ve experienced some apple enshittification due to mass marketing/long distance shipping. Imo peak apple varietals for direct eating are ones that were popular in the 1920’s/30’s; in the context of the USA, these mean the orchards planted by New Deal/CCC operations are usually a good bet. Where I live there are a bunch of abandoned, semi-feral orchards from this era and it rules.