(PHOTO: Pamela Riemenschneider)
I went to the supermarket yesterday to pick up a couple of things for my wife. Immediately I went to the produce section to see if they had any of those newfangled Cosmic Crisp apples. They did (“$1.99 per pound—the Nice Price!”), and I bought three of them.
At checkout, I said to the clerk, “These are supposed to be the best apples ever! They just started selling them in December. They’ve been very hyped.” She had no discernible interest.
I tried one as soon as I got home (discovering that the little code sticker had artfully concealed the one blemish). Was it really the best apple ever? It was very good, but I wasn’t tempted to launch into superlatives. I let my wife and son have a bite. They also thought it was good, but words like “fantastic” or “incredible” were not resounding through our kitchen. “Refreshing,” commented my wife.
After eating the whole thing, I would say that the Cosmic Crisp was extremely tasty. I was impressed particularly by the nearly perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. I just ate another one at the office. Again, very good—maybe a bit more tart than the first. Apart from the color, the apple that it reminded me of the most was the Granny Smith, although of course this was sweeter.
Would I buy Cosmic Crisps again?
Sure—maybe for stuffing the duck (an impulse purchase on the same trip). Contrary to what some of the promotions had promised, the Cosmic Crisp didn’t send me into ecstasies, but it is a welcome addition to the universe of apples.
I went to the supermarket yesterday to pick up a couple of things for my wife. Immediately I went to the produce section to see if they had any of those newfangled Cosmic Crisp apples. They did (“$1.99 per pound—the Nice Price!”), and I bought three of them.
At checkout, I said to the clerk, “These are supposed to be the best apples ever! They just started selling them in December. They’ve been very hyped.” She had no discernible interest.
I tried one as soon as I got home (discovering that the little code sticker had artfully concealed the one blemish). Was it really the best apple ever? It was very good, but I wasn’t tempted to launch into superlatives. I let my wife and son have a bite. They also thought it was good, but words like “fantastic” or “incredible” were not resounding through our kitchen. “Refreshing,” commented my wife.
After eating the whole thing, I would say that the Cosmic Crisp was extremely tasty. I was impressed particularly by the nearly perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. I just ate another one at the office. Again, very good—maybe a bit more tart than the first. Apart from the color, the apple that it reminded me of the most was the Granny Smith, although of course this was sweeter.
Would I buy Cosmic Crisps again?
Sure—maybe for stuffing the duck (an impulse purchase on the same trip). Contrary to what some of the promotions had promised, the Cosmic Crisp didn’t send me into ecstasies, but it is a welcome addition to the universe of apples.
Richard Smoley, editor for Blue Book Services, Inc., has more than 40 years of experience in magazine writing and editing, and is the former managing editor of California Farmer magazine. A graduate of Harvard and Oxford universities, he has published eleven books.
