Sweetango Apples for Delivery or Pickup

The trademarked name SweeTango was given to the cultivated apple Minneiska by its owner, the University of Minnesota. As a regulated product, the SweeTango apple has exclusive territories in which it can be grown. A cooperative formed by the University of Minnesota has sold the rights to select farmers within these regions to grow SweeTango apples. At first, the rights were held strictly in Minnesota, but they have since expanded to other northern regions in the United States.

SweeTango apples are a cross between Honeycrisp and Zestari. They have yellow skin with a pink to red blush. The flavor is described as something between brown sugar and spiced apple cider, with a sweet-tart taste, an unusually crisp texture, and above-average juiciness. It was bred for its combination of 20 distinct fruit characteristics, including an earlier ripening season and its marked crispness, resulting from a larger cell structure than most apples. This specifically designed fruit has a longer than normal storage life, holding its texture and flavor.

The origin of the SweeTango apple dates back to a grafted tree in 1988 and was later refined by the University of Minnesota in 1999. After its release in 2006, it was made available to the public the following year, but it wasn't until 2009 that the first SweeTango apple was sold in the United States. 

Apples fruit early, and the SweeTango falls in line with a harvest that starts between late August and early September. It ripens later than its father, the Zestari, and sooner than its mother, the Honeycrisp. You can pick them from certain orchards during this time, or you can wait till they arrive at your local grocery store in mid-September. They generally cost more than most apples due to their growing restrictions, but many believe the unique flavor is worth the price.

Apples don't continue ripening after picking, so farmers patiently wait. That means they arrive at your local grocery store ripe and ready to eat. Unripe apples are rare. You are far more likely to find a spoiled apple, so you should remember the old saying that one bad apple spoils the lot. The truth is, an apple exhales the gas ethylene naturally through its porous skin. Ethylene induces ripening, thereby making the apple itself the architect of its own decay.

You should select SweeTango apples that are free from blemishes, cuts, or any other marring as these increase the release of ethylene and cause the apple to rot. The ethylene produced from one apple gets absorbed by the apples around it, and the entire bushel can spoil. Farmers go to great lengths to avoid damaging their apples, packing them in trays that keep them from jostling and rubbing against one another. Some farmers and grocers like to package apples in bags. When selecting a bag of apples, you should examine them, and if you find blemishes, you should choose another bag.

SweeTango apples will keep at room temperature for up to two weeks. Storing them in the refrigerator will extend their life for several months. Just place them in the crisper drawer in a breathable bag or with a damp paper towel placed on top.

You can save time by using the Instacart app to shop for SweeTango apples. All you have to do is add the quantity of SweeTango apples to your cart and check out. After you check out, an Instacart shopper will shop your order, having it ready for in-store pick-up in as little as 2 hours! Depending on certain factors, your order may qualify for same-day home delivery!