A greener version is known as Albemarle Pippin, named for the Virginia county, and Virginians claim it is more flavorful than Newtown. Before Granny Smith invaded North America, Newtown was the best-appreciated green dessert apple. It continues to be enjoyed for a complexity that Granny lacks. Uncut, the apple may exhale a tangerine scent. The pale yellow flesh is crisp and tender, sweet on the tongue, and balanced by enough tartness.
Some people detect a clean, pinelike quality.
One minor drawback is that slices brown rapidly. Newtown makes a thick sauce, excellent pies with body, and a particularly clear cider. Apples are ready to be picked in October, when they have warmed to a pale greenish yellow. They continue to get sweeter and richer in flavor for the next five months. Back to the top of the page McIntosh McIntosh is the best-selling apple in the northeastern United States and in Canada.