Northern Spy

The 'Northern Spy' apple, also called 'Spy' and 'King', is a cultivar of domesticated apple that originated in East Bloomfield, New York in about 1800. It is popular in upstate New York.

Description

Skin color is a green ground, flushed with red stripes where not shaded, and it produces fairly late in the season (late October and beyond). The white flesh is juicy, crisp and mildly sweet with a rich, aromatic subacid flavor, noted for high vitamin C content. Its characteristic flavor is more tart than most popular varieties, and its flesh is harder/crunchier than most, with a thin skin.

Uses

It is commonly used for desserts and pies, but is also used for juices and cider. Further, the Northern Spy is also an excellent apple for storage, as it tends to last longer due to late maturation.

Cultural references

In 2013 the United States Postal Service issued a set of four 33¢ stamps commemorating apples, including the 'Northern Spy' as well as 'Baldwin', 'Golden Delicious', and 'Granny Smith'.