honeycrisp apples

8 Comments

Welcoming Autumn Instagram Post

I splurge on Honeycrisp apples. Let’s not tell my kids. I hide them. I cut them in secret. They are my favorite. You may call them a guilty pleasure.

Why is something that isn’t harmful defined as a guilty pleasure? Should I feel guilty for the pleasure of Honeycrisp apples?

I can talk like a hardnose, but the truth is I always (sometimes) share my Honeycrisp apples. I cut thick slices in secret. Then I cut them again, into thinner, shareable slices. 

As a kid swings through the kitchen, I whisper, hushed and rough like a wolf in the woods, “Hey, try one.”

When another sits at the end of the counter and tells me about his day, I extend a sliver. 

When one tries to swipe a slice off the cutting board, I poke his ribs and say, “I’m not sharing.” 

“You are now,” he says and grabs another slice.

When Andy turns from sautéing the mushrooms and onions, I whisper, “You have to try one.”

“Shhh, don’t tell anyone it’s Honeycrisp time,” he says and winks.

With each crunchy bite, I remember that I am not failing my to do list; I am not too far behind; I do not fall short. It is impossible to think negative things while crunching the delicate sweetness of a Honeycrisp apple.

I close my eyes and the crisp bites set my soul right. 

Honeycrisp apples are among the most expensive apple varieties. It is because their stems must be clipped in order to prevent damage to the surrounding apples when packed. Their expense helps land them in the guilty pleasure category. Yet, they are a relatively cheap gift. They are easy to hide in someone’s purse or jacket pocket. They are easy to offer as a secret slice when someone spins through the kitchen. They can be a secret, as is expected of guilty pleasures. 

If this is a guilty pleasure, then I am most definitely indulgent, and I will spread it around. I splurge on Honeycrisp apples. My kids already know.

Let's Be Email Pals!

Teaching writers doesn't have to drown us.

Enter your information to receive my free eBook, plus weekly tips and encouragement for teaching writers.

Don't worry, I won't send you spam, and you can unsubscribe any time. (I'd hate to see you go, though.) Powered by ConvertKit
mission story

8 Comments »

  1. They are the best! I had one for lunch today…which I sliced when my kids had already finished so they didn’t take all of the pieces.

  2. This line, this line … “I close my eyes and the crisp bites set my soul right.” I know this feeling, only it comes from scuppernong grapes, for which I wait every September. They are gone by fall or I would have written of them today. How the smell of a favorite food, the taste and texture of it, can bring a such a burst of healing and comfort is amazing, isn’t it. You capture your love of honeycrisp apples so beautifully that I almost catch a bit of their fragrance wafting from the screen as I read. Couldn’t help laughing about the not sharing and slicing the slices thinner … talk about savoring, making it last. I loved every word, Ruth. Thank you.

  4. So, if you are near a Trader Joes or an Aldi – you can get Honeycrisp quite reasonable and the Trader Joe bags are often perfect for lunches. We have become apple “snobs” here – honeycrisps are fall magic.

  5. This made me chuckle–keeping the honeycrisp, kind of, sort of, to yourself. My mom has always taught me that buying the “good stuff” for yourself is good for your soul. Keep buying the honeycrisp apples!

  6. I love the way you entice the kids and yet keep your secret close to yourself. This reminds me of your raspberry post, I believe that was also a guilty pleasure. 🙂 I do enjoy a Honeycrisp, but I like lots of other apple varieties too. I remember an apple I had as a kid had a pink inside. Don’t know what variety that was.