Russets

This gate is quite great; I especially like the variety of scenes represented and the shifting scales of the designs.

Another recent great find comes courtesy of our local greengrocers (they of the Green Gages):
I spotted these Russet apples there a few days ago, and although I had no idea what they'd be like (Russet? Isn't that a type of potato?), I bought one to use in a salad that night. I was the tiniest bit disappointed when I began to peel it, since I was hoping from the appearance of the skin that this "apple" might be more like an apple-pear or an Asian apple, but from the first cut, I could tell the flesh was not of that consistency. Thankfully, my letdown was extremely shortlived, as the apple turned out to be extremely flavourful, with a pleasing texture (not really juicy, but firm and crunchy--perfect for a salad), aromatic flavour, and just the right amount of tartness to spark its considerable sweetness to life. When I looked up the Russet, I learned that it's typically described as dry, nutty, and balanced in flavour, with the name referring to the sandpapery appearance/ texture of its skin. I don't think Russets are widely grown in the province of British Columbia or Washington state (the two places where most apples sold in Vancouver come from), and I like the fact that their dull, speckled namesake skin doesn't fit the supermodel mold of the red, green, and streaked varieties that seem to take the apple spotlight this time of year. As with the Green Gages (which I got more of today, along with a bagful of Russets), I'll enjoy these apples while the greengrocer stocks them!