Table Treats

• Also known as table apples, dessert apples taste good without needing to be sweetened with sugar or by cooking. These types also have a satisfyingly crisp texture, and flesh that browns less quickly after cutting than other apples. The best dessert apples work well as both pack-a-snack treats and as fruits tasty enough to add to a fruit salad or a savory green salad. Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Cortland and Fuji are readily available dessert apple types. Winesap, Gala and Pink Lady also make good choices for various uses that don't involve cooking.

Pie Pickings

• Apples that work well in pies and other baked desserts are those that have a sweet but not bland taste when cooked, and that don't turn to mush when heated. Northern Spy, Pippin and Granny Smith add a welcome tart note to sweet desserts. Use them alone, or balance them with firm but mildly sweet apples like Pink Lady or Golden Delicious.

Saucy Selections

• For applesauce and apple butters, fruits that break down quickly yet contribute a depth of flavor are ideal. A blend of at least two varieties helps balance the taste. Once the apples are almost done with their slow cooking, you can always add sugar or lemon juice to adjust sweetness or tartness levels. Gravenstein is prized in applesauce, as are McIntosh, Rome, Elstar, Golden Delicious, Golden Russet, Granny Smith, Pippin and Elstar.

Best in Show

• If you want to buy apples in bulk for a variety of uses, look for varieties known to be good keepers, because you're unlikely to go through all of them in a short period. Choose types that don't brown quickly after slicing. Select apples that are firm enough to hold their shape in pies, but to be able to cook down into a sauce with a little encouragement. This rare group of all-purpose apples includes Arkansas Black, Golden Delicious, Cortland, Baldwin, Gravenstein and Spartan. Juicier options still are fruits that boast all of these traits and can also be used for cider. This illustrious class of apples includes Mutsu, Newtown Pippin, Empire and Roxbury Russet.