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What happened to the tender crisp?

The tender crisp, beloved for its satisfying crunch and sweet, mellow flavor, was once a staple on grocery store shelves and in home kitchens across America. But over the years, this venerable apple seems to have slowly faded from favor. So what exactly happened to the tender crisp apple, and why don’t we see it as often today?

The History of the Tender Crisp Apple

The tender crisp apple traces its origins back to Washington state in the 1960s. Growers at the Dittemore family orchard began working on developing a new apple variety that would have an exceptionally sweet flavor and be slow to lose moisture when stored. After years of careful cross-pollination and selection, the Dittemore family finally introduced the tender crisp apple to the commercial market in 1974.

The tender crisp was an immediate success with consumers. Its crunchy texture and honeyed sweetness made it ideal for snacking and baking alike. By the 1980s, it had become one of the most widely grown apple varieties in Washington state. Production continued to increase through the 1990s and 2000s in response to high demand from grocery stores and food manufacturers. For many years, the tender crisp apple held a steady spot as one of the top five most produced apple varieties in the United States.

The Decline of the Tender Crisp Apple

So what changed for this once beloved apple variety? There seem to be a few key factors that contributed to the tender crisp waning in popularity over the past couple decades:

  • Rising competition from new varieties – Starting in the 1990s, many new apple varieties such as Honeycrisp, Jazz, Pink Lady, and Ambrosia came onto the scene. These new varieties intrigued consumers with their ultra-sweet flavors and interesting new tastes. As demand grew for these new varieties, many orchards began planting less tender crisp trees.
  • Short storage life – The tender crisp apple does not store well long-term compared to varieties like Fuji or Granny Smith. Its crisp texture quickly becomes mealy in storage. This made it less economically viable for large supermarket chains that needed apples that could hold up to long transportation and storage.
  • Susceptibility to disease – The tender crisp apple is prone to certain fungal diseases like powdery mildew and fire blight. As these diseases spread, many orchards pulled out their tender crisp trees rather than try to combat the diseases.
  • Labor Intensive Harvesting – The tender crisp apple trees tend to grow very large, making harvesting the apples more labor intensive and expensive.

Faced with these challenges, many apple growers found it made less economic sense to continue producing tender crisp apples, leading to a steady decline in production over the past 20 years.

Where You Can Still Find Tender Crisp Apples

While tender crisp apples are harder to come by today, they haven’t disappeared completely. Here are a few places you may still spot these mellow, sweet apples:

  • Farmer’s markets – Smaller orchards that sell directly to consumers at farmer’s markets often still grow tender crisp apples. Check your local farmer’s market during apple season to see if any vendors offer them.
  • Specialty grocery stores – Some high-end grocers like Whole Foods will carry heirloom and specialty apple varieties beyond the typical grocery store offerings. You may find tender crisps for sale at select stores.
  • Washington state – The original home of the tender crisp still produces a significant portion of the remaining supply. Look for tender crisps at orchards and farm stands if you visit Washington apple country.
  • New England – New England also continues to grow tender crisp apples, particularly in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Orchards in these states may have tender crisp apples in the fall.

When shopping for tender crisp apples, look for ones with a vibrant green-yellow skin and no bruises or soft spots. Store them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator and try to eat them within a couple weeks before the texture declines.

How to Enjoy Tender Crisp Apples

Tender crisps really shine when enjoyed raw as a snack due to their sublime crunch and flavor. But they can also be used in all your favorite apple recipes like:

  • Pies
  • Applesauce
  • Tarts
  • Cakes
  • Muffins
  • Salads

Their sweet-tart flavor balances well with cinnamon, caramel, cheddar cheese, nuts, oats, and brown sugar. When baking, reduce any added sugars in the recipe slightly since tender crisps are naturally sweeter apples.

Here’s a delicious caramel apple pie recipe that’s perfect for highlighting the tenderness and juiciness of tender crisp apples:

Caramel Apple Pie

Ingredient Amount
Tender crisp apples, peeled and sliced 6 cups
Granulated sugar 3/4 cup
All purpose flour 2 Tbsp
Ground cinnamon 1 tsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
Cold butter, cut into pieces 1/2 cup
Pie dough for double crust 1 batch
Caramel sauce 1/2 cup
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a bowl, toss apples with sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt until coated.
  2. Line a pie dish with one pie crust. Fill with apples, mounding slightly. Dot with pieces of butter.
  3. Cover pie with top crust and crimp edges to seal. Cut slits in top crust.
  4. Bake for 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake 35-45 minutes more, until crust is golden brown.
  5. Remove pie from oven and drizzle caramel sauce over the top while still warm. Let cool at least 2 hours before serving.

The buttery, crunchy crust and tender apples make this pie a sublime dessert. A drizzle of salted caramel takes it over the top!

The Legacy of the Tender Crisp Apple

While tender crisp apples may never regain their peak popularity, they hold an important place in apple history. As one of the first commercial apple varieties developed in Washington state, tender crisps helped launch the state’s now enormous apple industry. Their sweet honey flavor also influenced later apple breeding projects that resulted in varieties like Honeycrisp and Jazz. Even if tender crisps fade away completely someday, their taste lives on in the many ultra-sweet apple varieties that followed.

For apple lovers, seeking out tender crisps offers a delicious taste of apple nostalgia. Their tender flesh and sweetness evoke memories of biting into a fresh, juicy apple straight from the tree on a crisp autumn day. Each tender crisp apple remains as satisfying to crunch into as the first day it was introduced over 40 years ago.