Lady Alice Apples

Once upon a time in 1979, there was an apple orchard in the state of Washington. On that orchard, there grew an apple tree unlike any other. With roots in Red Delicious, this tree bloomed with a crispy sweet apple that had never before been tasted. Delighted by his find, the owner gave it the greatest name he knew—that of his mother, Lady Alice.

I ate one for lunch yesterday. Here's why: Prompted by a brief article in Fitness magazine, I headed to Meijer in search of this apple that I had never heard of. If you know me, you know that I love apples. With peanut butter or in sauce form, apple pie, apple picking and everything in between. And since I live in a state whose largest fruit crop is the apple, I had to investigate.

My notes became the short fairytale above, minus one detail: The Rainier Fruit Company now owns the Lady Alice apple tree, and after 25 years of growing and cultivating it, this Washington company is ready to share Lady Alice with apple eaters everywhere.

So I partook, and in all honesty, the Lady Alice apple reminded me of a Honeycrisp. Slightly tart but sweet, hinting at flavors of honey. Maybe even almonds. It was crunchy and didn't brown quickly like a freshly cut apple tends to do. Best part—it was healthy. In fact, apples are a great snack. They're free of fat, cholesterol and sodium, but they're full of fiber and carbohydrates (the good kind that fuels your body).

Here's a fun fact I learned while browsing the Michigan Apple Committee's website: Apples have a slightly rough texture that, when combined with their natural tannins and a swish of water, makes for a great teeth whitener. Bonus points!

So have an apple today, and make it a Lady Alice if you can. Or stick with the apple of your choice—do you love Golden Delicious like I do, or are your taste buds tempted by a different kind? Tell me!