Chinook

Why you should be excited

Chinook is a fine British Columbia-bred apple that’s tasty, aromatic and keeps for a long, long time.

The story of Chinook

We British Columbians take pride in the excellent range of apple varieties that originated in our province.

The most longstanding of these is undoubtedly Spartan, which has gained widespread popularity elsewhere.

Chinook is a more recent British Columbia-bred apple and while it will likely never come close to Spartan’s popularity, there remains a fair bit to recommend it.

Start with its pretty appearance – gotta like that cherry-red blush. Then move on to the flavour, which delivers a very nice sweet/tart balance and excellent aroma. And then there’s Chinook’s storage ability: nothing short of awesome.

A nice overall package.

Chinook Facts

Its origins

Bred in Summerland, British Columbia, Canada; introduced 1990s.

Flavour, aroma, texture

Firm, crisp, juicy. Intensely aromatic. Nice balance of sweet and tart.

Appearance

Small to medium-sized, with cherry red blush covering most of the green-yellow background. A pretty apple.

When they’re available

Late season (usually in October).

Quality for fresh eating

Good.

Quality for cooking

Mainly used for fresh eating.

Quality for cider

Doesn't have a particular history as a cider apple.

Keeping ability

Excellent (6 or 7 months when kept refrigerated).