Before I talk about today's apple, I just wanted to mention that all ten of the apples I bought are from the supermarket Kress IGA in downtown Seattle. All of them are Washington-grown. I read from various online sources that Washington produces almost 60% of the apples grown in the US, so I guess I'm in the right state to start my apple tasting adventure! Michigan and New York are also apparently big apple-producing states.So today I tried the first of my ten apples, and without knowing anything about this variety, I chose the Cameo, which is native to Washington. The reason was that out of the ten, this apple looked the oldest, so I wanted to make sure I eat it as soon as possible while it's still crisp and fresh. Here's a picture of it before I ate it (Go Seahawks!):
I'll admit, I felt pretty discouraged when I took the first bite and thought: "This tastes like just a typical apple. What if my palate is just not refined enough to taste the difference?" I expected this of the Red Delicious variety, which I know to be the most common and most classic American apple, but this Cameo tasted just like it! (Yes, the skin is a bit crisper and less "soggy" feeling, but that was probably the only noticeable difference as far as I could tell.)
It wasn't until afterwards that I found out I was right to think that, because the Cameo actually COMES FROM Red Delicious (score for me!) In fact, according to this NYTimes article, the Cameo supposedly tastes how Red Delicious used to taste like before RD got overproduced and cultivated to have the perfect look at the expense of its taste. (It's an interesting article, go read it!)
Some other tasting notes I observed: The skin gives off a short burst of nutty bitterness that kind of reminds me of the smell of nail polish. Before you wrinkle your nose at that, I really liked it. Not that I'm a fan of nail polish smell, nor would I ever eat nail polish even if it were edible, but there's a difference when that taste comes out as a subtle complement to the sweet, tangy insides of the apple for just a fleeting split-second, adding complexity to the apple's taste. I remember I used to think about the nail polish smell when I ate Red Delicious apples, but it's more subtle in the Cameo.
Here are some tasting notes from a more qualified source at Specialtyproduce.com:
"The creamy yellow skin of the Cameo apple is covered in red stripes, which develop just prior to the apple being ready for harvest. By picking the apples as soon as they develop this signature striping it ensures their skin maintains the thin and delicate texture Cameo’s are known for. Its flesh is dense and creamy white to yellow in color with a crisp and juicy texture. The Cameo’s flavor is the perfect balance of sweet and tart with nuances of both honey and citrus."
Fun fact (also from the same site): A study found that Cameo apples contained the most antioxidants out of 31 varieties used in the study. It's got lots of potassium, vit C, iron, vit A, and calcium. It's also resistant to browning when cut open.
I discovered this cool little site that tells you what cheeses or wines to pair with some common apple varieties, and gives you a little flavor profile for each apple, cheese, and wine. It also pairs cheese or wine with different varieties of pears.
According to this site, the ideal cheeses to pair with the Cameo apple are Edam, Blue Cheese, Manchego, Asiago, and Chevre/Goat Cheese. The best wines to pair with Cameo are Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Champagne/Sparkling.
This morning, I did have a side of cheddar with my Cameo apple, so I'd definitely like to try it again some time with one of these cheeses instead (I would try it with wine, too, if I weren't at work.) Wine & cheese & apple party, anyone? :)
Anyways, that's all I have to say about the Cameo for now. I'm glad the first apple I chose turned out to be a good, classic apple, perfect for a beginner in apple tasting.
The
creamy yellow skin of the Cameo apple is covered in red stripes, which
develop just prior to the apple being ready for harvest. By picking the
apples as soon as they develop this signature striping it ensures their
skin maintains the thin and delicate texture Cameo’s are known for. Its
flesh is dense and creamy white to yellow in color with a crisp and
juicy texture. The Cameo’s flavor is the perfect balance of sweet and
tart with nuances of both honey and citrus.
- See more at:
http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Cameo_Apples_392.php#sthash.CVTPY2c5.dpuf
The
creamy yellow skin of the Cameo apple is covered in red stripes, which
develop just prior to the apple being ready for harvest. By picking the
apples as soon as they develop this signature striping it ensures their
skin maintains the thin and delicate texture Cameo’s are known for. Its
flesh is dense and creamy white to yellow in color with a crisp and
juicy texture. The Cameo’s flavor is the perfect balance of sweet and
tart with nuances of both honey and citrus.
- See more at:
http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Cameo_Apples_392.php#sthash.CVTPY2c5.dpuf
The
creamy yellow skin of the Cameo apple is covered in red stripes, which
develop just prior to the apple being ready for harvest. By picking the
apples as soon as they develop this signature striping it ensures their
skin maintains the thin and delicate texture Cameo’s are known for. Its
flesh is dense and creamy white to yellow in color with a crisp and
juicy texture. The Cameo’s flavor is the perfect balance of sweet and
tart with nuances of both honey and citrus.
- See more at:
http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Cameo_Apples_392.php#sthash.CVTPY2c5.dpuf
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