As you know by now, we shine the spotlight every month on a different type of apple. Today we will be profiling the Gala apple. Boasting a fruity, mild, floral flavor, Gala apples have a crisp, fine-grained texture that’s equally suited to fresh and cooked preparations.
All About Gala Apples
Small to medium in size, Gala apples are round to conical in shape. Because the skin is so thin, it tends to bruise easily. This fruit’s vibrant appearance is due to the red-pink striping and mottling on the surface. They start off with a lighter, yellow-orange color early on in the season, developing darker red hues as the season wears on.
The flesh is ivory to pale yellow, with a firm and crisp quality. With a mildly sweet flavor with just a hint of acidity, Gala apples have a perfumed, floral aroma with undertones of vanilla, pears, and apple blossoms, says Specialty Produce.
A great source of fiber for digestive tract regulation, Gala apples have a lot of potassium for balancing fluids in the body, and calcium for strong bones and teeth. They are chock full of vitamin C for a strong immune system and reduced inflammation, and vitamin A for healthy organ function. Other nutrients include iron, vitamin E, boron, magnesium, copper, zinc, and vitamin K.
What Are Gala Apples Good For?
Gala apples are great for eating out of hand, or sliced and dipped into caramel or chocolate. They are also great for:
- Chopping into salads
- Shredding into slaws
- Cutting up in fruit bowls
- Dicing into salsa and chutney
- Layering onto sandwiches, burgers, or paninis
- Mincing and stuffing into sausage
- Baking into tarts, pies, crisps, strudels, and crumbles
- Cooking into butter, sauces, jellies, and jams
- Pressing into ciders, smoothies, and juices
- Pairing with cheeses such as swiss, cheddar, and brie
- Serving with nuts such as pecans, almonds, and walnuts
- Serving with meats such as turkey, chicken, pork, pears, squash, and caramelized onions
Whole, unwashed Gala apples will stay fresh for one week at room temperature, and up to three weeks in the refrigerator.
Visit Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery
Unfortunately, it’s much too soon for our apple orchard to open, but you can still visit our Apple Haus where we have a bakery, winery, and cider mill to check out. Call us at (800) 400-8100 today to learn more.
