Discovery Apple Delivery or Pickup

Discovery apples are an early season apple, becoming ripe in mid-August but can be harvested through October under the right conditions. It is a small to medium-sized round apple with soft skin and yellow and red patches covering the apple. It has a sweet, almost strawberry flavor and is hard, crunchy, and juicy. Inside, the flesh is mostly white but can have some pink streaks as the dark red coloring on the outside of the apples sometimes bleeds into the apple. This occurs with later picked apples.

Discovery apples are appetizing to eat right from the refrigerator or made into a juice or applesauce. Their shelf life is limited, so pressing them into juice and freezing is a good way to enjoy these tasty apples for months. Freeze the juice in containers and then move the frozen blocks to freezer-safe plastic bags to save space. The blocks of frozen juice can be kept for four to six months, thawing when needed.

 Another way to prolong and preserve apples is to make applesauce and freeze it. Some people also cook the apple slices and freeze them. Just remember to strain the liquid before using them, or you will have mush from all the frozen juice.

Discovery apples came about after a fruit farm worker in Essex, England, George Dummer, raised some apple seedlings from cross-pollinating two apple varieties around 1949. He then transplanted one into his own front yard. Due to family issues, he did not properly care for the tree, but it bloomed and produced a sweet and tasty apple. The tree came to the attention of Jack Matthews, a local nurseryman who purchased grafts from the tree, planted them, and was so pleased with the apple he called it Discovery and began marketing these apples in 1962.

It is best to choose apples that have their stems attached, are ripe, and do not have any bruises or punctures. Bruises or punctures cause the apple to go bad much quicker, potentially spoiling all the apples. Also, squeeze the apple to make sure it is firm. Discovery apples are known for their sweet aroma, so sniff the apple, looking for that fresh apple smell.

Discovery apples should be refrigerated as soon as possible unless you are using them within a few days. To store for a short period, apples stay best in the crisper drawer of a refrigerator at 32°F and 90% humidity. Lightly misting the apples each day helps keep the humidity high. 

If you want to store the apples and do not have space in the refrigerator, a cool, dark place like a basement is a great alternative to store apples. Make sure each apple is not bruised or soft before attempting a longer storage time. Wrap each apple separately in newspaper, paper bags, or paper towels and place them in a box or crate. This keeps that one spoiling apple from ruining the whole box. 

Layering the apples in the crate is fine, but since Discovery apples do not last quite as long as other apples, you will want to check them often and use up any that become soft.  

In order to make your favorite baked apple dessert, open your Instacart app and add Discovery apples to your order. Once your purchase is complete an Instacart shopper will fulfill your order and deliver it right to your door with same-day delivery when possible! This convenience gives you more time to pick the perfect recipe to try.