Granny Smith is usually available year-round in supermarkets, and most of us are familiar with the dense sharp acidic flavour – so why grow your own? Well, the flavour of home-grown examples can be more complex and interesting, particularly if you allow the apples to ripen fully on the tree – at which point the characteristic bright green skin is likely to take on a red flush that you won’t see in shop-bought examples.
Granny Smith is a versatile apple, great for eating fresh of course, but also a good apple for sweet and savoury salads (since it does not go brown readily) and a good choice for apple pies – slices keep their shape when cooked. (For best cooking results, pick when slightly under-ripe).
It also keeps well – it is one of the best apples for home storage.

