Please recommend an apple that is as close to a Pink Lady as possible!

[Facilitatingdarkness]

I'm addicted to them but I want to find a new variety for two different reasons:

1. I feel guilty that they are imported from New Zealand when there are perfectly good apples in the UK thus creating a smaller carbon footprint and

2. I went to pick up a pack of 6 at Tesco... They'd gone up to £3.05!!!

However, to me they are the perfect apple. Sweet, crisp and slightly acidic. I can't stand mushy apples!

Can anyone help me out of this (admittedly, first world) predicament, and recommend me a really good UK variety of apple to try and spot?

I like jazz apples from Lidl they are similar

Dd loved kanzi apples last year, not the cheapest option though.

I shall definitely give jazz a go - I know they're about in my local supermarkets...thanks!

Never heard of Kanzi - intriguing!

Problem is I don’t think any British apples have quite the same flavour/texture. Fuji are similar but harder to come by than pink ladies and just as expensive/imported.

As alternatives I think Granny Smiths and russets whilst not the same are pretty nice in their own right

Yes, jazz.

Envy apples also good. And Smitten.

@NewNameADayKeepsSpiesAtBay

Problem is I don’t think any British apples have quite the same flavour/texture. Fuji are similar but harder to come by than pink ladies and just as expensive/imported.

As alternatives I think Granny Smiths and russets whilst not the same are pretty nice in their own right

I think you might be right. I really want to find an alternative as close as it gets though.

I wish I liked Granny Smith but I find the skin a bit chewy and the apple too sour!

Is russet sweeter but still crunchy?

I loved the honey crunch apples but I think they are specific to Asda. Not seen them anywhere else anyway.

I love Jazz apples too. I get them from Ocado - £2.89 for a minimum of 9. They come in a box too - not plastic.

Sounds like Jazz is the winning specimen so far. £2.89 for 9 is fab!

Marks and Spencer’s sometimes have little rocket apples in a cardboard tube which are British but rather expensive
They are lovely though and have that sparkling taste I think pink lady do

Jazz is a bit sweeter but a good alternative. Most supermarkets also do seasonal packs so you could keep trying different varieties until you find one you like. I applaud you for your ethics OP!

Braeburn aren’t the same, but they’re really the only ones I like other than pink ladies so maybe try those?

I’m afraid nothing beats a Pink Lady apple!

My absolute favourites are Cox's Orange Pippins. Haven't had any this year yet, so must make sure I do! They get imported from NZ later in the year, but the home grown ones at this time of the year are unbeatable. Not very like a Pink Lady, though.

I love gala as a second choice and they’re British.

Another thing to note - I am greedy when it comes to eating apples. I like a big, fat juicy one all of the English varieties seem so much smaller.

I know size isn't everything...

Thank you all for entertaining my silly thread! I've had some great ideas so far.

Sorry to tell you but it’s impossible to recreate the tart sweetness with the crisp, juicy freshness of a pink lady!!
Jazz apples are nice, I do buy those sometimes, but they’re no match sadly.
I buy them rarely, not due to the cost (although they are expensive for apples) but mainly due to their importation.
I’m trying really hard to minimise where we can but sometimes I succumb!

Can you get into pears? I only like conference ones tbf.

Empire or Royal gala are my go to apples. Pink lady's are more expensive.

Discovery.

Probably only available at farmers markets and the like.

Cox’s and Gala are an entirely different type from the very white dense crisp flesh of Pink Lady / discovery etc!

@randomness I sometimes feel the pull of the pear, indeed. Are Conference UK?

@TheChosenTwo

Sorry to tell you but it’s impossible to recreate the tart sweetness with the crisp, juicy freshness of a pink lady!! Jazz apples are nice, I do buy those sometimes, but they’re no match sadly. I buy them rarely, not due to the cost (although they are expensive for apples) but mainly due to their importation. I’m trying really hard to minimise where we can but sometimes I succumb!

Glad it's not just me that has a hankering for Pink Lady... I agree, there is nothing quite like it. Maybe I should just move to New Zealand 😂

Russet apples are fabulous…full of sweet flavour and crunch. But only in season in Autumn sadly. I’m a bit weird, but I like them once they are past their best, with wrinkly skin. The inside is still quite crunchy, but they are sweeter and I love the resistance the skin offers against my teeth when it is wrinkly 😁

Pink Lady apples are not actually one particular variety, they are a marketing ploy.