There are a staggering number of apple varieties: while some have a texture that is sturdy and perfect for baking, others are best when eaten fresh or sliced and served with cheese. Apples are extremely rich in important antioxidants, flavonoids and dietary fiber. The antioxidants in apples may help reduce the risk of developing cancer, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.

Below are some of our favorite varieties that we get from Hepworth Farms.

Cortland

Good for: salads, snacking, baking, roasting

A cross between a McIntosh and a Ben Davis apple, Cortland apples are sweeter than McIntosh. They have a very white flesh and are great for salads because they’re quite resistant to browning. Cortland apples also make delicious apple sauce: if you leave the skins on while cooking and the run the apples through a food mill, your sauce will get a naturally pretty shade of pink.

fuji

Good for: salads, snacking

Fuji apples are bold and flavorful. They are red with golden highlights and usually quite big. The name might trick you into thinking that they’re Japanese, but they originated in North America. Fuji apples are a cross between Red Delicious and an old variety called Ralls Janet, which was grown by George Washington at Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. They keep very well and can be left outside the fridge for weeks without turning soft. Fuji apples are good for baking but are best eaten raw and delicious in salads.

ginger gold

Good for: salads, snacking, baking, roasting

Ginger Gold are harvested at the beginning of the season (August/early September) and are one of the first new crop apples available. This classic apple was discovered in the 1960s as a cross between a Golden Delicious and an Albemarle Pippen. They are usually greenish-yellow, with some spots of rouge and flesh that’s crisp, fine-textured, and slow-browning. Ginger Gold is an all-purpose apple: ideal for baking and sauces, thanks to their nicely tart and sweet taste, with a hint of fall spice. They’re particularly delicious when baked in an apple crisp.

golden supreme

Good for: salads, snacking

Golden Supreme apples origins are not clear: while generally thought to be created in Clay County (West Virginia), some say that they originated in Idaho. They are early season apples, medium to large and usually yellow with prominent brown lenticels and a pink/red blush. The flesh is crisp, cream-colored, and very juicy. Because its flesh browns slowly, Golden Supreme apples are great for eating fresh and in salads, and in some baked dishes.

mutsu

Good for: salads, snacking, baking, roasting

Mutsu Apples are from Northern Japan, where they are often referred to as the “million dollar apple”. These apples are related to the Golden Delicious and they go also by the name Crispin. Mutsu Apples are smooth and have a color that varies between bright green and yellow. The flesh is crisp and firm and the flavor is sweet and tart at the same time, with hints of spice. Mutsu Apples get sweeter in cold storage. Their sweet and delicately spiced flavor makes them ideal as dessert apples.

mcintosh

Good for: salads, snacking, baking, roasting

McIntosh apples are usually vivid red with some spots of bright green and white lenticels. The early season apples have more green than the later season ones. The flavor also varies: the ones picked late in the season will have a sweeter taste than the early ones. The flesh is crisp, juicy, and bright white. When they are first picked, the flavor is strongest and sweet-tart, but it mellows slightly when kept in cold storage. McIntosh apples are an all-purpose apple that can be used cooked or raw, in both savory and sweet recipes.

honeycrisp

Good for: salads, snacking, baking

Considered by many as the greatest fresh-eating apple of all time, these apples are very crisp and as the name suggest, their sweetness is reminiscent of honey. Honeycrisp apples are commonly grown in Minnesota, where they were first grown and where they were named the official state fruit in 2006. Honeycrisp apples keep exceptionally well and can be stored up to four months in the refrigerator.

Empire

Good for: salads, snacking, baking, roasting

A cross between McIntosh and Red Delicious, Empire apples are red with some white spots. The flesh is juicy, crisp and cream-white in color. Because of their low susceptibility to bruising, they make an excellent snacking apple. Their flavor pairs very well with pumpkin, pear, sharp cheeses, and warm fall spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. They were first created at Cornell University, and their name is an homage to the state where they were created, New York.

(Text compiled from Produce Geek, New England Orchards, The Fruit Guys, Specialty Produce, Whole Foods Market)