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We still remember the first time we tasted an apple at the farmers' market. It was a few years ago, at the Ha's Apple Farm stand. Accustomed to supermarket apples, we had come to regard the fruit as ho-hum, quite often mealy and one-dimensional. What a revelation it was to eat a crisp, aromatic, in-season apple! Now we love trying all the different varieties we can find at the farmers' market each fall. This past weekend, we saw about a dozen kinds, including Gravenstein, Red Delicious, Gala, Tsugaru, Winesap, Golden Delicious, Mutsu, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Jonagold.

Sweet, tart, crisp, juicy – each variety has qualities that make it ideal for eating raw, cooked, or baked. For a chart detailing which apples to use for applesauce, pies, salads, and more, see A Guide to Fall Apples. We also recommend Amelia Saltsman's Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook, which has great descriptions of apple varieties and their textures and flavors when raw and cooked.

Recipes from The Kitchn archives:

• Apple Custard Tart
• Apple Walnut Bread Pudding
• Apples, Cabbage, and Pork Chops
• Applesauce
• Rustic Pear and Apple Galette
• Weekend Apple Pancake

Are you enjoying fall apples yet?

(Images: Emily Ho)