Apples are best consumed in season — from late August through October — and eaten expeditiously. They come in a rainbow of colors — lemony-yellow, ruby red, emerald greens, blushing pinks and various shades in between. Their flavors, though, are not nearly so strikingly disparate, but do vary from tart to sweet, and in texture from a near melon-like softness to explosive crispness.

However, when it comes to cooking not all apples fall from the same tree. Apples generally fall into three categories: eaten out of hand, baking (pies, strudels, dumplings tarts) and processing (jams, jellies, sauces and butters.) The most popular apple in America is the Red Delicious, prized by commercial growers and supermarket owners for its shelf stability, but one of the least appealing apples in terms of flavor and texture. In fact the thick skin of the commercially grown Red Delicious is genetically bred into the modern hybrids only to extend shelf life and retard spoilage. Good eating it ain’t. If you need a great, every day apple, for high-end polishing-on-your-sleeve and eating, nothing beats the thin skin and explosive crisp-tart sweetness of Honeycrisps, Sawas or Zestars. Some apples shine above other throughout the year, eaten best in the months they are pickes. Try Redfree and Gala in August, Johnathans and McIntosh in September and Chestnut, Braeburn and Enterprise later on in the year.

When it comes to cooking andbaking, you’ll need apples that have a more balanced profile — not too high in sweetness and not too low in acid because the cooking process, no matter for how long, intensifies and concentrates the flavors. Almost all cooking apples can also be used for processing into butters or sauce, but many apples that have great flavor profiles when cooked don’t always hold their shape well enough for baking whole or even for pie making. Anyone who has tried to bake a McIntosh knows what I’m talking about.

For processing into sauce, jams or butters, I like to use the same apples I utilize for long-term cooking or baking — Golden Delicious, Baldwin, Cortland, Ida Red, Northern Spy, Pippin, Greening, York Imperial and Winesap. Theses are ideal for both cooking and processing because their unique tartness becomes complex and sweet when cooked.

These varieties, and similar regional types, can be found in both farmer’s markets and supermarkets. When apple shopping, remember that apples do get a shade sweeter as they age after picking, but only in the short term (several weeks). Long-term storage after picking (anything more than a month) can render an apple’s texture mushy, mealy or starchy. Apples harvested late in the season, like Fujis in October, last longer after picking than early season apples, such as the August-picked Galas. Apples should always be firm to the touch and have a brisk floral aroma. Skins should be free of bruising and nicks, but scalds (apple-speak for the brownish scarring that mottles some skins) do not affect quality.

Apples can be stored at home in a cool dark place, but also do well in the fridge if you require short term storage. They should be kept in plastic bags with a few holes punched into it, in an area without temperature fluctuations. That way you won’t create an atmosphere conducive to beading and perspiring which leads to spoilage. Be creative with your apple selection this year. There’s no better way I can think of to cook with a regional spirit than with your local orchard’s best apple.