An apple a day—the Kanzi

I eat an apple every day for breakfast.  Every day.  My very most favorite is Honey Crisp, expensive and only available about 3-4 months in the fall, and the taste varies depending on which state provides the soil (I think Minnesota is best).  My second most favorite is Braeburn, then Gala or Fuji. For pies, use 3 or 4 varieties and include at least one Pink Lady for color. Jonathon are good for color in a salad, but generally are tasteless.

Today for the first time I am eating a Kanzi, so I looked it up.  The word is from Swahili and means “hidden treasure.”  It is the daughter of the Braeburn and Gala—isn’t that nice to know the family tree—and a sister of the Jazz apple.  The Orange Pippin web site describes and contrasts the Jazz and Kanzi:

The colouration is very similar, but we think Kanzi is arguably the prettier apple. Jazz can look a little bit too tall, whereas Kanzi is more rounded -quite similar to Ariane (although the parentage is completely different).

Looks are important commercially, but for us it is mainly about the flavour of the apple. The flavour of both Kanzi and Jazz is extremely good, but also quite different.

The Jazz apple has the stronger flavour, with its distinctive peardrop aftertaste and dense flesh. Kanzi is more delicate, with a less pronounced flavour and lighter flesh. In our tests so far most tasters prefer Kanzi (by a margin of at least 2/3rds to 1/3rd), partly because Jazz can be just a bit too solid to bite into sometimes. The milder flavour of Kanzi is also easier and less demanding, although perhaps a bit less memorable too. However your objective author should here state his own preference: Jazz wins because of its more distinctive flavour.

I’ve only had a few bites (I slice them and eat with either carrots or oranges and walnuts.  So my taste buds haven’t decided yet.  But nothing matches a Honey Crisp.