Sekai Ichi

Why you should be excited

Sekai Ichi is one of quite a few really large, really sweet apples to have been bred in Japan.

The story of Sekai Ichi

In a world where many people are sick and tired of overly-long-stored Red Delicious and Golden Delicious apples taking up space on grocery store shelves, it is perhaps a strike against a variety to have been bred with those two famous -- but somewhat  discredited -- Delicious varieties as parents.

A second strike against Sekai Ichi (which translates to ‘world number one’) is the fact that much of the interest in this apple relates to its large size and consistent roundness. Nice features, but what about flavour?

If you’re familiar with the dominant Japanese taste in apples, you’ll be unsurprised to know that Sekai ichi is a mild and sweet apple, with little acid.

Strike three? It’s totally a matter of taste, so we’ll leave that call to you.

Sekai Ichi Facts

Its origins

Bred in Morioka, Japan; 1974 introduction.

Flavour, aroma, texture

A mild, juicy, sweet-tasting apple with fairly soft flesh.

Appearance

Extremely large and consistently round, with a pale pink-red blush and red stripes on a yellow background skin colour.

When they’re available

Late season (usually in late October).

Quality for fresh eating

Good.

Quality for cooking

Mainly used for fresh eating.

Keeping ability

Good (3 or 4 months when kept refrigerated).