Cosmic Crisp Apples are Here!
New Cosmic Crisp Apple Has Arrived in December 2019
With the amount of attention this apple has gotten, it surely must do more than just keep the doctor away. Media outlets like Today, Time, and Fortune are all fascinated by the new apple variety called Cosmic Crisp. This variety, promoted by a former NASA astronaut, is blasting off in the hopes of becoming America’s most popular apple and eclipsing other apples on the market. The reason developers have such high hopes for Cosmic Crisp is because it was bred to have the perfect balance of appearance, taste, usability, and shelf life.
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The Big Bang of Cosmic Crisp
Cosmic Crisp is a fitting name for this apple variety backed by plenty of science. In fact, the release of Cosmic Crisp has been 20 years in the making. The project was headed by horticulturalist, Bruce Barritt, at Washington State University. The team of scientists aimed to “fill a produce void for a firm, crisp, and juicy apple,” according to their website. After much experimentation and testing, they achieved their goal when they cross-pollinated the Enterprise and Honeycrisp apple varieties to create Cosmic Crisp.
Enterprise and Honeycrisp are both popular apple varieties, but not without their flaws. Enterprise was bred with the ability to resist common crop diseases like scab, cedar apple rust, and fire blight. Its hardiness and attractive red skin made it a favorite with retailers and consumers. Honeycrisp, on the other hand, seemed almost destined for failure. The variety was not bred to grow, store, or ship well, so how was it going to make it to the mouths of apple enthusiasts? Despite this, Honeycrisp became prized for its sweet and tart taste with well-balanced acidity. Its perfectly crisp texture and juiciness further endeared it to farmers and consumers who would overlook its difficulty to be transported.
The Out of This World Cosmic Crisp Apple
The scientists who created Cosmic Crisp were able to capitalize on all the good qualities of Enterprise and Honeycrisp to create one delicious apple. Cosmic Crisp contains naturally higher levels of acidity and sugar that give it its bright, sweet flavor. Its growers actually suggest reducing the amount of added sugar in recipes containing Cosmic Crisp. This could be an added health benefit because natural sugars found in fruit are often healthier than the refined and bleached ones used in many recipes.
In addition to its great flavor, Cosmic Crisp retains the signature crispness of its parent, Honeycrisp, and does not have the mealy texture of some store-bought apples. Cosmic Crisp is naturally slow to brown when cut—no more dousing your apple slices in lemon before serving to guests. When stored properly, the apples can maintain their texture and flavor for up to a year, making them popular with retailers. Each apple is very large in size, so just one will go a long way in cooking or snacking.
As with most aspects of this apple, researchers did not set science aside when selecting the name ‘Cosmic Crisp.’ Focus groups were held in Pullman, Yakima, and Seattle, Washington to get consumer input on the perfect name for this variety that is a rising star in the apple market. The name “cosmic” was chosen because the apple sports a shiny, light red skin with tiny golden flecks that remind the tasters of a galaxy full of stars. Cosmic was followed up by “crisp” as a nod to the parent Honeycrisp apple. It also tips consumers off to one of the trademark qualities of the apple. Star Trek fans may pick up on another interstellar connection: Cosmic Crisp’s other parent is Enterprise, like the Starship Enterprise from the TV show.
Obtaining Cosmic Crisp Apples
Cosmic Crisp apples are currently being grown on farms in Washington State. The first shipment was released in early December 2019 and we are lucky enough to have a large amount of them. Cosmic Crisp apples have limited availability and may sell out quickly due to the anticipation of the release. The apples can be incorporated into fruit baskets, coupled with gourmet items, or sold separately.
