Cosmic Crisp

Well, I got a Gala apple and a Fuji apple from the store and did an unblinded side-by-side taste test with the Cosmic Crisp, and I've had to revise my opinion.  I think now that the Cosmic Crisp is just as sweet as either the Gala or the Fuji, has slightly more robust flavor than both, and is just a bit juicier.  Whether or not it is worth its extra cost is another question.  Keep in mind, these are the impressions of somewhat abused 71-year-old taste buds.

Gala (on the left) and Fuji.

Well, I got a Gala apple and a Fuji apple from the store and did an unblinded side-by-side taste test with the Cosmic Crisp, and I've had to revise my opinion.  I think now that the Cosmic Crisp is just as sweet as either the Gala or the Fuji, has slightly more robust flavor than both, and is just a bit juicier.  Whether or not it is worth its extra cost is another question.  Keep in mind, these are the impressions of somewhat abused 71-year-old taste buds.

Gala (on the left) and Fuji.

Curious if you noticed any difference in the consistency of the "meat" of the apple?  I don't know what a Fuji tastes like.  But I have had Macintosh apples and have always found the "meat" of them to be too mushy, if that makes sense.  I feel the meat of a Gala is more crisp and nicely crunchy.  I'm keeping an eye out for the Cosmic Crisp when I go shopping.  Haven't seen it yet.  But I'm now going to start taste testing some others.  First will be a Fuji since I know my store carries them.

Well, I got a Gala apple and a Fuji apple from the store and did an unblinded side-by-side taste test with the Cosmic Crisp, and I've had to revise my opinion.  I think now that the Cosmic Crisp is just as sweet as either the Gala or the Fuji, has slightly more robust flavor than both, and is just a bit juicier.  Whether or not it is worth its extra cost is another question.  Keep in mind, these are the impressions of somewhat abused 71-year-old taste buds.

Curious if you noticed any difference in the consistency of the "meat" of the apple?  I don't know what a Fuji tastes like.  But I have had Macintosh apples and have always found the "meat" of them to be too mushy, if that makes sense.  I feel the meat of a Gala is more crisp and nicely crunchy.  I'm keeping an eye out for the Cosmic Crisp when I go shopping.  Haven't seen it yet.  But I'm now going to start taste testing some others.  First will be a Fuji since I know my store carries them.

All three were relatively crisp, the Cosmic Crisp probably the most so.

Well, I got a Gala apple and a Fuji apple from the store and did an unblinded side-by-side taste test with the Cosmic Crisp, and I've had to revise my opinion.  I think now that the Cosmic Crisp is just as sweet as either the Gala or the Fuji, has slightly more robust flavor than both, and is just a bit juicier.  Whether or not it is worth its extra cost is another question.  Keep in mind, these are the impressions of somewhat abused 71-year-old taste buds.

Curious if you noticed any difference in the consistency of the "meat" of the apple?  I don't know what a Fuji tastes like.  But I have had Macintosh apples and have always found the "meat" of them to be too mushy, if that makes sense.  I feel the meat of a Gala is more crisp and nicely crunchy.  I'm keeping an eye out for the Cosmic Crisp when I go shopping.  Haven't seen it yet.  But I'm now going to start taste testing some others.  First will be a Fuji since I know my store carries them.

All three were relatively crisp, the Cosmic Crisp probably the most so.

Interesting.  Sounds like I would like it.  I wonder if anyone has seen them on the East Coast?

Well, the remainder of the apples went into a crisp, which just came out of the oven.  We'll have some in a little while with caramel sauce and whipped cream.

Curious if you noticed any difference in the consistency of the "meat" of the apple?  I don't know what a Fuji tastes like.  But I have had Macintosh apples and have always found the "meat" of them to be too mushy, if that makes sense.  I feel the meat of a Gala is more crisp and nicely crunchy.  I'm keeping an eye out for the Cosmic Crisp when I go shopping.  Haven't seen it yet.  But I'm now going to start taste testing some others.  First will be a Fuji since I know my store carries them.

Macs need to be eaten very soon after picking or they get that way. That's why I won't even consider a Mac or any of the related varieties.

Found these at Costco last week, and they were very fresh. Most groceries around here now have them in stock. My favorite apple is the Gravenstein, which are an early apple from mid August to mid September. Bellewood Farms in Bellingham grows them and they are fantastic when eaten right off the tree. Bellewood is a fantastic place to visit when you are in Wa state. One of the best apple farms in the USA. I generally prefer a slightly tart apple. IMHO, the Cosmic Crisp tastes like a Red Delicious (very sweet) with the consistency of the Honey Crisp (nicely crisp and juicy). The Cosmic Crisp is not a tart apple. If you like sweet apples you will love them. Next year the Cosmic Crisp should be available everywhere in the USA.

I went to the local Shoprite today to pick up stuff to make for dinner tonight. Stopped by the apple aisle and was surprised to see a healthy quantity of Cosmic Crisp apples there. This is in New Jersey. So, I can positively say that the Cosmic Crisp apples have made it to the Northeast. I picked up two. I plan on doing a little taste test against my current favorite, the Gala, of which I have four in the fridge. I'm interested to see how they taste. I'll let you know what I think.

Ok. My son and I did a side by side taste test. Here are our impressions:

Gala: Good crispness. Good juiciness. Nice subtle sweetness. No tart.

Cosmic Crisp: Even better crispness. Juicier. Exploding sweetness. A little bit of tartness.

Verdict: I think we both like the Cosmic Crisp better. In my son's words, "After this (pointing at the Cosmic Crisp), I can't go back to that (pointing at the Gala)"

I didn't notice the price of either so I may have to check pricing to see the difference. But there is a pretty distinct difference between the two apples. I'll admit, I'm a fan.

Just a minor update. For our first taste test I sliced off four pieces from each, leaving just the core. After about an hour and a half I went back down to the kitchen where the cores are and noticed something interesting. The Gala core had browned significantly while the Cosmic Crisp had retained much more of the original color. And then I ate what was left on each core, starting with the Gala and then the CC. This only further confirmed to me that the Cosmic Crisp is superior to the Gala. Really pretty delicious. And here I had been in love with Galas.