Fuji apples were juicy and oh so sweet.

I received a gift pack of fuji apples this week, four of them were individually wrapped in holiday colored foils. Several people where I work have been eating them and they have been quite juicy and super sweet. No wonder fujis are one of the most popular apples, and according to several websites continue to grow in popularity. They aren't the prettiest of apples though, the red is a bit striped and there is a yellow/green background color behind. The hue is attractive, but there are several spots and the stem bowl is definitely darker, I rinsed it out before eating. I know fuji apples are often clipped off the trees vs. just being picked by the stem, otherwise the stems can puncture other apples in the bins. The shape is generally round, but by no means uniform. I enjoy great flavor though and whatever they might lack in appearance they more than make up in taste. Harvest in Washington was completed sometime in late October, these apples I have are crisp and juicy so all indications are they must hold up very well when stored.

Recommendation: Buy some today. Make sure they feel firm to the touch and are without bruising. Discoloration doesn't change the flavor so you don't need perfectly colored apples.

E-Z Peel Cuties are Sweet and Delicious

Zippered fruit has long been a favorite of mine. Just purchased some clementines from California and they're sweet, easy to peel and delicious. I've just eaten my third one of the day. I've seen them in 3lb - 5lb bags and wood crates. Their size is perfect for a quick snack, it's mid afternoon and it really hit the spot. I'm trying to eat healthier snacks in the afternoon and these clementines certainly fit the bill! In the 5lb. bag there are around 24-25 pieces of fruit, not everyone in my family enjoys them, so the bag will take us about a week or so finish. The bag for these clementines said California Clementines on one side, and then California Mandarins on the other side. A quick bit of research revealed that clementines are simply seedless mandarins.

Recommendation: I'd say if you like mandarins/clementines, now is a great time to enjoy them based on my experience.

Golden delicious apples, often forgotten about with all the new varieties

I've always enjoyed a good golden delicious. The name is often a misnomer because the apples are more often more green than gold. The flesh tends to be a bit softer, and you don't get that satisfying apple crunch that you do with many varieties, but the taste, a nice sweet-tart is wonderful. We bought these apples the weekend before Thanksgiving, primarily for one of my daughter's school projects, they needed 'golden apples' and in the end, we ended up spray painting those. This morning I pulled a few out of the crisper and found they were still looking quite nice. Super juicy.
We find ourselves buying goldens less and less these days, after eating these goldens, I think they should become a regular apple purchase for us. They really are very satisfying to eat and are a nice change from some of the sweeter varieties.