Quebec apples: a world of possibilities
McIntosh, Lobo, or Gala, all apples are versatile and oh-so-practical in the kitchen. From lunchbox muffins to your Sunday roast, the possibilities are endless!
We’ve put together a short guide on how to choose, store, and enjoy your delicious fresh-from-Quebec apples.
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Pommes qualité québec: a guarantee of home-grown freshness
Pommes qualité québec: a guarantee of home-grown freshness
Twenty years ago, apple producers and packagers joined forces to make sure all apples produced in Quebec and sold in grocery stores met strict quality standards. That’s when the Pommes Qualité Québec logo started popping up on bags, containers and stickers.
Now, when you see this logo, you know it’s a guarantee of quality and freshness. That’s because all apples from Quebec orchards have been rigorously inspected to ensure they meet the highest possible standards, even in winter!
This logo comes in handy when you shop because you can make sure you're buying home-grown apples. You may not be aware that one in every two apples in our grocery stores is not grown in Quebec, even though we’re an apple-growing powerhouse. Some apples travel as much as exotic fruits. There’s a crisp Quebec apple for every taste and every kitchen, year round!
Pommes Qualité Québec means…
- Over 12 varieties
- 4 varieties available year round
- Over 1,800 lots of apples inspected annually: that’s almost 2,000 tons of apples
- Approximately 300 million apples sold every year
Find the perfect apple
Find the perfect apple
Choose firm, blemish-free apples with bright, uniform colour and smooth skin.
Don’t skim over the smaller apples. They often have more flavour, plus they’re the perfect size for the kids’ lunch boxes.
How to store them
Three tips to remember:
- Store your apples in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer. If you plan on eating your apples within the following week, this is the best way to keep them crisp and flavourful. Apples spoil ten times faster at room temperature!
- Store your apples in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. Did you know that apples can keep for several months? Start by removing any bruised or spoiled apples from the bunch (use the former to make applesauce!). Next, arrange them on a flat surface, away from light and humidity.
- Wash your apples right before eating them. Avoid washing them too far in advance, as they won’t keep as long if you do.
Do apples cause other fruit to ripen faster?
Do apples cause other fruit to ripen faster?
It’s not a myth; apples do indeed cause other fruits and vegetables to ripen faster because of the ethylene gas they emit. That’s why it’s always a good idea to keep them away from other fresh produce.
Biting into your favourite apple is great . . .
But discovering other varieties is even better!
Here are some Quebec apples that steal the show!
Early-harvest apples
Early-harvest apples
Jersey mac
A large apple with lots of crunch. It has a juicy, sweet, and aromatic white flesh, making it ideal to snack on or juice.
Sunrise
DA delicious cross between McIntosh and Golden Delicious, the Sunrise is one of the best early apples out there. It has a firm, sweet flesh that you’ll love biting into.
Paula red
Moderately sweet and tart, and just as crunchy and juicy. Great as a snack or used for baking.
Classic apples
Classic apples
Lobo
Hidden beneath the skin is a crunchy, semi-sweet, semi-tart flesh that’s perfect for baking pies, seeing as it keeps its shape during cooking.
Spartan
Nice and plump, this is the crunchiest of the apple varieties. Enjoy it solo as a snack to fully appreciate its sweet and slightly tart flavour.
Gala
Characterized by golden, crisp flesh and smooth texture, this mildly sweet apple is delicious to bite into and is ideal for desserts, especially pies.
McIntosh
Sweet and juicy, this highly aromatic apple is delicious as a snack, or to make applesauce or juice.
Empire
Crunchy, juicy, and very sweet with just a touch of tartness, this apple is perfect cut up as a snack, as its firm flesh doesn’t brown as easily.
Cortland
With its tender, sweet, and highly aromatic flesh, this apple is excellent in salads, seeing as it doesn’t turn brown when cut.
Worth discovering
Worth discovering
Ginger Gold
Underneath its distinct yellow skin is a crunchy, juicy flesh with a spicy flavour. It’s perfect for salads, seeing as it hardly turns brown when cut.
Honeycrisp
Incredibly crisp, juicy, and sweet, this apple’s name comes from its distinct honey taste, making it the perfect apple to bite into or bake with
Golden delicious
As delicious as it is golden, this apple has crisp white flesh that is both sweet and slightly tart, with a delicate honey aroma. Snack on it or use it to bake with.
Red delicious
Beneath its deep red skin lies creamy white flesh that is juicy and sweet. You can snack on it, bake with it, or make juice with it.
Ambrosia
Pink in colour, with a crunchy, juicy, and aromatic flesh that gives off just a hint of honey. Versatile, it can be used for cooking, or in salads, seeing as it hardly turns brown when cut.
SweeTango
You’ll fall for this crisp, juicy apple with notes of honey. A real treat to sink your teeth into!
Ariane
Both sweet and tart, with firm, crunchy, and juicy flesh, this apple is perfect as a snack or in a dessert.
Gourmet tips: from quick-and-delish apple crisp to a comforting bowl of soup
Apple crisp
For a quick and easy dessert, try making microwave crisp . . . in a mug! Simply combine diced apples and maple syrup in a mug, top with a mixture of oats, flour, brown sugar, and butter. Bake in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes and you’re done! You can also try making it with other fruit, like pears or blueberries, or try adding nuts or cinnamon to your crumble.
Discover other decadent apple desserts
Divine caramel
Wondering what to do with all those fresh-picked apples? Here’s a recipe the whole family will love! Plus, it makes a great gift when stored in a cute jar! Easy to make, apple caramel is great drizzled over vanilla ice cream, yogurt, sponge cake, and French toast. You can also use it as a dipping sauce for fruit, or to elevate your pork chops!
Winning duo
Apples and cheese go hand in hand! Try making a grilled-cheese sandwich, blue cheese and nut salad, pancakes, Oka tart, apple and cheddar muffins, or simply put together a platter or apples and cheese.
Hearty soup
For a touch of sweetness and tartness, add apples to your recipes. Cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnip, and squash all go great with apples. As for spices, try adding a dash of curry, cumin, coriander, or ginger—they all do a nice job of highlighting the delicate apple flavours.