Have you heard of Granny Smith apples?
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
Rockingham, Australia
April 15, 2017 4:44am CST
We went to the Apple Festival in Donnybrook, Western Australia, today. There were market stalls in town and we filled in time there until it was time for the street parade. Although quite small, those involved had put a lot of effort in and we enjoyed it.
The photo shows a car show-casing Donnybrook's most famous product, apples. As you can see there is a crate of Granny Smith apples on the top of the car and the back seat is full of apples. You sometimes see the phrase 'home of the Granny Smith' bandied around Donnybrook but the now-famous green variety was first developed in 1868 in Eastwood, New South Wales. However Donnybrook was the first place to grow the apple on a commercial scale and to export it. Apparently it is sometimes known as the Green Delux in Canada.
I think I've seen Granny Smiths mentioned in various posts. Do you know of this apple variety?
Next weekend we are heading to a music festival in an tiny historic 'village' near Pinjarra in Western Australia. Fairbridge was once home for dozens of orphan...
49 people like this
60 responses
@silvermist (19702)
• India
16 Apr 17
@JudyEv We get Granny Smith apples in our super markets here.(imported). Interesting photo.
3 people like this
@silvermist (19702)
• India
16 Apr 17
@JudyEv Yes,they are available here in plenty along with Fuji ,Gala and the Golden apples.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Apr 17
@silvermist So it seems you have much the same as us.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Apr 17
@abhinalstrikr It is held every second year I think - at Easter.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
16 Apr 17
It is one of my favorite eating apples, so nice and tart.I cook with Cortland apples. I do love Macintosh when they are fresh and crisp in the fall, but they are too juicy for mostly anything but applesauce which they give a nice pink color to.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
25 Dec 17
@JudyEv I personally don't like the taste of Golden Delicious apples, I am not sure what I don't like but they are not tart enough for me. I assume that Cortlands and Macs are American varieties. I have noticed too that potatoes are very different in England than they are here. Do you have some indigenous Aussie apples or our your varieties like those in England. I know my mom had some apples in Canada that we don't grow here. Well done you to be going back to your posts. I haven't had time to do that in a while.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Dec 17
@BelleStarr I never buy Golden Delicious to eat but when I picked apples one season they were absolutely delicious straight off the tree. They seem to go 'floury' by the time they reach the shops. I think the Royal Gala, Fuji and Pink Lady are varieties that have been developed in Australia but I'm not positive. Maybe they are just very popular here.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
15 Apr 17
I didn't realize that the GrannynSmith originated in Austrailia.....
I'm more familiar with the origin of the MacIntosh Apple. When I was born we were living on the farm next door to where the original MacIntosh Apple was found.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Apr 17
I haven't heard of the MacIntosh apple so that's interesting.
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
15 Apr 17
@JudyEv it's probably the most recognized apple in the grocery stores in our area of the world.
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (6827)
• United Kingdom
16 Apr 17
@JudyEv The apples, obviously.
They are mainly used for cooking over here. Make a tasty crumble.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Apr 17
@Orson_Kart They're certainly a great cooking apple. Do you think they are grown over there?
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
16 Apr 17
Yes, we have and eat these often. Granny Smith apples are also used when we juice carrots, etc. @JudyEv
2 people like this
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
16 Apr 17
@JudyEv We have been juicing for 30 years.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Apr 17
@PatZAnthony That's pretty impressive. We call it 'bottling' here and my mother used to do a lot of bottling as she had a lot of fruit trees.
@moffittjc (121659)
• Gainesville, Florida
15 Apr 17
I don't know about other parts of the US, but Granny Smith's are a popular variety of apple here in Florida. In fact, I bought some Granny Smith's this morning when I went grocery shopping. My daughter loves them and will probably eat them all. I much prefer red apples to Granny Smith's, but they are still delicious nonetheless!
2 people like this
@moffittjc (121659)
• Gainesville, Florida
15 Apr 17
@JudyEv I made homemade applesauce this past Christmas, and the recipe called for Granny Smith applies. In fact, in almost all recipes I have ever seen which call for apples, it usually says to use Granny Smiths. They must cook better than other varieties of apples!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Dec 17
@moffittjc I must have missed some comments here way back. Granny Smiths don't mush up when they are cooked like some do. They are a good cooking apple but also nice to eat.
1 person likes this
@paigea (36316)
• Canada
15 Apr 17
I've always called them Granny Smith (here in Western Canada) never hear of Green Delux. But we have our regional things here, so it could be called other names too.
Granny smith was my favourite apple for years, until I discovered Honey Crisp. !
2 people like this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Apr 17
I haven't heard of Honey Crisp here. I'm sure we don't have all the varieties.
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Apr 17
Do you still like them or have you switched to a different brand.
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Apr 17
@Courtlynn That's been mentioned a few times and seems very popular. We don't have it here.
@Courtlynn (67081)
• United States
16 Apr 17
@JudyEv i dont know i havent had them in years. I usually buy mcintosh.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
15 Apr 17
Granny Smith Apples are basically the only apple I care to eat. They are yummy.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 Me too. I like Golden Delicious straight off the tree but that's a bit hard to organise. :)
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
15 Apr 17
@JudyEv I like them because they are always crispy, I perfer a crispy apple compared to a softer mushier apple.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
15 Apr 17
They are my favorite type of apples. Awesome photo. Looks at all those apples.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Apr 17
@Happy2BeMe They were throwing lollies and had all the different varieties for sale at the Festival itself.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
15 Apr 17
@JudyEv I hope not too. They should have had somebody handing them lout to all the people along the route
1 person likes this
@allknowing (137553)
• India
15 Apr 17
I have not heard of these but if they are green then we have a variety like that coming from Kashmir.
2 people like this
@allknowing (137553)
• India
15 Apr 17
@JudyEv I checked and yes there are other green varieties but in this link they only have what you have mentioned
CancelPrint Advertisement Show Main NavigationEpicuriousLog in to see your saved recipesLog InSign UpSearchMain NavigationContent ChannelsUser Actions A guide to help you keep track of which ones are tart, sweet, thin-skinned, and pie-friendly Text by Esth
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Apr 17
@allknowing Thanks for the link. We don't have all of those here - at least not that I know of.
1 person likes this
@jillybean1222 (6407)
•
16 Apr 17
yes. growing up, we had basically red delicious or green granny smith. nowadays there are so many more varieties.
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21852)
• Canada
15 Apr 17
Yup, we grow them here in Canada and in the USA too.. cool photo!
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21852)
• Canada
16 Apr 17
@JudyEv I love to make apple sauce from them, they are delicious and tart.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
15 Apr 17
@JudyEv - I like the tartness.
1 person likes this