This is interesting, because I think apple picking orchards and farmers markets have an advantage here over supermarkets and delivery services. For public orchards, the apples are bred for taste first and foremost. Everyone goes in expecting to see dusty apples, with many worms too, but its fine since that's how it is out in the countryside. Everyone is also eating apples constantly while out picking, even if encouraged not to its an open secret, since after you've tasted the honey you are going to end up with two huge bags of your favorite varieties at the end of the day. Farmers markets also do a lot of free samples, even in this pandemic. You can typically ask at a farmers market for a vendor to slice you a sample as well if you are curious, most of the time they just do it for you unprompted as you are browsing. People become regulars at farmers markets if the vendor has very high quality items. They are looking for freaky mutant looking heirloom stuff in a farmers market, not a perfect plastic looking apple for a good price.

Regarding pick your own orchards, I don't know where you are but here in central MA most of the pick you own business is from tourists. Us locals just buy apples already picked at the farm store for less money. The farmers make the tourists buy the empty bags, not the apples, so they've already paid before they even pick a single apple. Neither taste nor looks really have anything to do with it. It's more about which farm puts on the best 'show'. Some of the farms are also very nasty about eating apples while out picking and will kick the tourists out if they catch them.

I found that over the years, the primary problem with Golden Delicious in my area is that in the stores, they are always still partially green. They pick them too soon, ship them green, and they never fully ripen properly.

Sometimes you can go by smell! Produce that smells good also often tastes good.

I also have some luck going by looks, but by specifically looking for exemplars that have flawed looks (in ways that I know don't negatively affect flavour). For types of produce where you can sort of tell which ones are good, other people tend to go for the ones that look good but also don't have blemishes. That selection process results in the good ones being statistically overrepresented among the ones with flawed looks.

I've had similar experience with Golden Delicious -- I stopped buying it years ago. But last year, I went to a pick-your-own place where I discovered extremely crisp, juicy, and flavorful Golden Delicious apples! Picked a couple of bagfuls.

So I'm happy to report that they still exist. The trick is getting hold of them...

> You can't taste them in the shop, but you can compare by looks.

Actually, you can ask to sample apples. I make pies, and sometimes stores carry unfamiliar varieties, so I do occasionally ask. The kids often don't know that this is okay, so it helps to ask for the Produce manager. They'll grab a knife and cut a slice. Otoh grocery stores rarely carry ugly apples; they go to farm markets, where it's way more normal to ask for a sample

> I wonder if it's the fate of any breed to eventually be bred for looks instead of taste.

No, fruit trees are predominantly propagated by cloning, by grafting branches into a root stock. This method has been used already in prehistoric times.

New varieties are created by producing seeds, but then they are no longer called the same "breed". There is a big element of luck involved due to cross pollination and only specialized growers practice it.

The issue you mention is common in plants propagated through seeds, such as tomatoes and carrots. Modern tomato varieties are red, big, robust in transport... and tasteless.

Yet the article talks about breeding Red Delicious for looks and transportability. If it was only cloning, Red Delicious would still taste the same way it did way back then.

There’s an interesting planet money podcast about the thousands of trees grown to find the honey crisp apple.

https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/05/27/410085320/epis...

Individual branches have mutations, and those are cloned for new trees. Which is what the article is about. It doesn't take seeds to have this behavior.

> the only way to protect an apple from that fate, would be to trademark the name, and the rightsholder only licenses the name to apples from cultivars that breed for taste and don't sacrifice taste for looks

You may want to look at the European D.O.C./A.O.C./E.T.C. system. Some specify production methods. Others set testable thresholds for the final product. Either ruleset could be incorporated into a licensing scheme.

The floury or mealy texture can happen regardless of variety, most of the apples you buy for the supermarket are up to a year old. they gas them with a chemical that stops ripening then keep them in a very low oxygen environment (usually on farm). it tends to cause the not nice floury texture.

Golden delicious is a fine apple that is just out of fashion for its well known sins.

As all in its group, post-mature is mealy and bland, and before maturation is too acid, but freshly picked in the right month is a refreshing mix of acid/sweet in the right amounts. Really fine apple when in season.

But is really annoying to culture. Many of the best tasting apples are prone to fungus diseases that destroy its market value. GD is a sucker for skin diseases and the newer cultivars are better performers, so is in decline.

Apples in the kitchen burn its sugars to keep the fruit 'breathing' and the metabolism of the seeds working. The more time you have it, the more insipid.

The writer, on the other hand is not understanding the legacy impact that golden and red delicious have. Many of the best sold apples in the market like Fuji, Pink Lady or Rubinette descend directly from red and golden delicious

> "aren't you more likely to pick the tastier looking one?"

I have always looked for the more multi colored ones, skipping the all red because they had a history of tasting less delicious.

>I'd expect the only way to protect an apple from that fate, would be to trademark the name, and the rightsholder only licenses the name to apples from cultivars that breed for taste and don't sacrifice taste for looks.

>This might be a case where IP rights might be used for good.

Arent they doing that with the cosmic crisp?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_Crisp

the problem with golden delicious is that you need to eat them within 3 days of when they are picked. a good golden should have a thin skin, be sweet, and crisp.

i think part of the problem is that farmers pick them to early so your usually getting an green golden that has rotted a bit to turn yellow.

i believe its not looks specifically, but longevity from orchard to supermarket to table that wins. this goes for almost all food. what matters is it lasts through the delivery system.

strawberries are like the blandest thing when they are out of season.

Or just let people taste them in the shop. For example, as free samples.