A: Don’t you hate when that happens? Like you, I have purchased a bag of apples, only to find they are not crunchy and hard – the way I like them! The flesh of the apple becomes soft and “mealy” when the substance holding the individual cells together dissolves causing mushy fruit. This type of older apple can also taste somewhat dry because the water in the cell tissues is tougher to release. When the apple is mealy it usually means it was stored improperly or has been sitting on the grocery shelves too long. It would be best if we could eat the apple immediately after it was picked but only a lucky few live where apples are grown. They usually do not hold up well in a pie or salad so use them for something else. However, do not feel too discouraged, you can use these mealy apples for cooking fritters, scones, applesauce or apple-butter.

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