Unfortunately, this year’s English Golden Russets had a starchy soapy perfumey taste I did not like. The English call that flavor “Parma Violets” from a candy of the same name. I don’t think they developed properly this year.
In other years, they had more of a sweet classic russet taste, more akin to a good Grimes Golden or Roxbury Russet.
They sure are beautiful looking apples, but perhaps not annually reliable as I once imagined them to be.
Today, I had my first Albemarle Pippin of the season. All of my apples have run early this year, and this one was no exception. They’re normally best in December here, and will hang into January (when the robins descend and devour them in the space of a day or two). Today’s sample, though, was crisp, honeyed, and quite delicious.
Good Lord MrClint. Wow!!! Juice? I hope so! Beautfiul.
I wasn’t impressed with the juice to be honest. That’s where Page excels.
You are one spoiled dude!
I’d say thankful and blessed, taking nothing for granted. 
So here is one I bet no one else ate today : Tamarind! And honestly, I’m not just listing it because its something unique and different…I actually did try one for the first time in my life today. Believe it or not, it was at Walmart. They were selling small (about 1 quart I’d guess) clam-shell containers full for $4.99. The produce guy was putting them out when I came up and when I started quizzing him about them, he just opened a container and handed me one. He said they were not very good sellers and that he didn’t like them, but graciously let me try one. For those who don’t know, they certainly don’t look or taste like peanuts, but if you picture a long, thin, unshelled peanut you can at least understand the general layout of a tamarind. They have a woody outer shell (like a peanut shell). Then there is a soft, fleshy “meat” under the woody outer shell that surrounds some hard, almost glass-like seeds on the inside (using the peanut analogy, the seeds are where peanuts are in a shall, except of course with a peanut there is no “fleshy meat” between the woody outer shell and the legumes inside). This fleshy meat is the part you are eating when it comes to tamarind.
I actually thought they were fairly good. the edible part reminded me a little of dried dates. I thought they were fairly good- but not great. Certainly not worth the work of trying to grow at home if possible, and from what I’ve read it wouldn’t be possible for me since they are naturally grown in Africa.
Apparently they are mostly used for cooking and in drinks from what I’ve read. While I did think they were fairly tasty, I wasn’t even impressed enough to buy a whole container full, so that should tell you something.
Anyway, its the first time I’ve seen or tasted tamarind, so I thought it would be fun to talk about here since it is an unusual fruit some of you may have been curious about (like I was). And there may be some of you who are a lot more familiar with them and may have something to add.
I like the Tamarind soda made by Jarritos.That’s the only way I’ve knowingly tried it. Brady
I think that’s the stuff in the purple condiment sauce served at Indian restaurants.
Those both very interesting things to learn. I hadn’t even THOUGHT about the soda until your comment, @Bradybb, but now that you said that I distinctly remember seeing that soda in the Mexican area of the grocery. I often buy some of the other Jarritos sodas (esp pineapple) so now I can’t wait to get back to the store and try Tamarind.
The one thing- to the point of being downright frustrating- about tasting the Tamarind pods was that they tasted soooo familiar but for the life of me I couldn’t figure out what it reminded me of. Some of you may have had similar experience with other items, but I kept tasting and trying and racking my brain to remember where I had tasted that taste before. @Matt_in_Maryland , I think it is very possible that you have solved that mind twister for me!!! I now strongly believing it was the sauce you are talking about!!! Thanks for that…it really was driving me crazy since I knew I had never tasted a tamarind but it was still very familiar!
(Only I can take 2 paragraphs to say I want to try the soda and thanks for solving my tasting mystery.ha Sorry! )
Kevin,
I hope what you ate was sweet tamarind. Sweet ones are for fresh eating. Sour ones are used for many things partcularly for a culinary purpose.
Tamarind is believed to have medicinal quaility. Eating a lot of tamarinds or drink lot of tamarind juice will be like taking laxative 
Leaves and fruit are both edible. Young tamarind shoots taste slightly sour and use as a vegetable.
The wood is beautiful. If I were to plant a tree in the tropic, I would consider planting a sweet tamarind tree.
WOW! Sounds like you really know a lot about tamarind. Did they have them where you grew up? I’m guessing mine were the sweet ones simply because they did taste quite sweet and were obviously packaged for retail sale in the fruit section of the market, so I’m pretty sure they were intended for fresh eating. Thanks for the education!
Kevin,
Tamarind is very common in South Asia and Southeast Asia. If you ever have a chance to visit Indian or Southeast Asian grocery store, you will see tamarind in many forms from candied, juiced, drink, frsh produce, etc.
At one point, @tonyOmahaz5. Posted pics of sweet tamarinds he bought.
@jujubemulberry. Pribably could tell you more about it.
Once again, I didn’t know any of that. Also disappointed that @tonyOmahaz5 beat me to it when it comes to showing, talking about, or eating it- I thought I was first! haha Anyway, sounds like its a lot more popular than I thought. Very neat.
The local Japanese hibachi steakhouse (Shogun) gives little hard candies after.each meal. They are tamarind flavor. My daughter Hayes them and says " why can’t they just give out mints like other restaurants". Lol. The candy is not that great but it’s edible. I don’t really enjoy the flavor that much but it’s different. I’ll give it that.
Your daughter is fortunate to have a dad like you who has given her plenty of opportunities to try new things.
If you have a chance, try sweet tamarind. It tastes far better than those tamarind- flavored candies
I also ate my first Opal of the year. To me it’s an incredible apple. Mine was yellow with an orange blush. The flavor is unlike any apple I’ve eaten. I am struggling to describe that special flavor that is really differentiating this apple apart but I can’t think of it. Maybe a slight bit like juicy fruit gum. Regardless, I’ve not eaten another apple that tastes anything like it.
Very sad that I can’t get scion wood for this apple.
