At the grocery store, we shop with our eyes. Food companies know this. Look what they’ve done to the cereal aisle.

Even in the produce section, we often let a food’s “package” dictate our choices. Our eyes gravitate toward best colored, perfectly shaped fruits and that is what we purchase.

But looks can be deceiving. Often the best-tasting versions of a given food are not the best looking.

Take the apple, for example. Many of us have come to think of the ideal apple as a shiny red object, uniform in color and free of blemishes. For decades, the Red Delicious variety has dominated sales in American grocery stores, mainly because of its looks. We’ve grown to know the Red Delicious as that apple on the teacher’s desk.

And yet we don’t taste an apple’s shape or savor its color. With that in mind, apple breeders’ focus shifted back to culinary qualities and developed the SweeTango, a new apple brand that is a cross between Honeycrisp and Zestar! apples.

SweeTango breeders focused on taste, not aesthetics. The result is a sweet, slightly spicy apple that is winning rave reviews from apple lovers across the nation.

This philosophy of culinary quality first dates back to Heirloom apple varieties. These varieties were noteworthy for their unique flavor and distinguishing appearance. Things like russet, knots, and differentiated coloration were positive attributes of an apple if it tasted great.

SweeTango is not an heirloom variety. It is however, a modern apple that draws on the finest characteristics of heirloom varieties. Heirloom varieties were popular when food was meant to be enjoyed.

To a food shopper the misconception that red means good – ripe and flavorful is quickly being debunked. The tomato is a great example.  Years ago a tomato had to be round and red. As the people re-acquainted themselves with the pleasure of uniquely flavored foods, heirloom tomatoes began appearing more frequently and produce shoppers quickly realized a tomato that wasn’t red and round tasted great. Today, when the words tomato and heirloom are heard together great taste is assumed.

The next time you are in the grocery store buying apples, go for the SweeTango.  Look for a little russet, prominent lenticels and color variations; they are the same visual characteristics of many legendary heirloom varieties and are indicators of an amazing eating experience. Try one and let us know what you think.