🍎 ‘Jonathan’

It is an old American variety that originated in the early 1800s in New York, traditionally associated with a farm near Woodstock, Ulster County. Its exact parentage is uncertain, although ‘Esopus Spitzenburg’ is often suggested as one parent.

It became enormously important commercially and was one of the parents of several later varieties, most famously ‘Jonagold’ (Jonathan × Golden Delicious).

A good Jonathan has a combination that modern apples sometimes lack:

• Crisp but relatively tender flesh
• Very juicy
• Sweet-tart rather than simply sweet
• Distinctive aromatic/spicy flavor
• Noticeable acidity
• Excellent balance between sugar and acid

It’s a very good fresh-eating apple, particularly when eaten fairly soon after harvest.

The flavor is bright, tart, aromatic and apple-y, rather than the honeyed sweetness of something like Fuji or Honeycrisp

Appearance

Jonathan typically has:

• Medium-sized fruit
• Yellow/green base
• Brilliant red to deep crimson striping/blush
• Often a somewhat irregular, old-fashioned appearance

A really well-colored Jonathan can be gorgeous in a mixed premium fruit display.

And it’s an outstanding cooking apple

It works beautifully for:

• pies
• crisps
• applesauce
• apple butter
• cider
• fresh eating

Its acidity gives cooked products considerably more character than a very sweet, low-acid apple.

Harvest & storage

Jonathan is generally a mid-season apple, commonly harvested around September in much of the U.S., although the actual date varies considerably by location.

It doesn’t have the extraordinary long-term storage reputation of Arkansas Black. Jonathan is at its best relatively fresh, when its acidity and aroma are lively.