ISO Northern Spy Apples

[Chatty Cathy]

I feel like making some apple pies! Has anyone seen Northern Spy apples lately in any supermarkets or farmers' markets in downtown Toronto/North York/Scarborough?

[tochowchick]

I was at Badali's again on Bayview today (Thanksgiving Day) and they had lots of Spys...

[fickle]

I just bought some Northern Spy apples from the Brantview Orchard vendor at the Metro Hall Farmer's Market this morning, it was $6 for 8 very large ones. The market is on today till 2pm.

[Chatty Cathy]

Fickle, thanks for the information. You got a good price for those apples. I missed yesterday's market but I understand they'll still be open for one more Thursday so I'll try next week.

[Yongeman]

If you know where La Salumeria is on Yonge, there's a good quality fruit market right beside it that has a wide variety of apples. Also, the Fairlawn Market on Avenue Rd has excellent apples. You fill a small basket for $3.00...you get to choose your own. I can't guarantee that they have Spy apples, but they Courtlands that I bought this week and last were crisp and full of flavour.

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Salumeria
2021 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4S, CA

[jayt90]

Crisp and full of flavor is not necessarily best for pies.
Northern Spies seem to be the best, but they are not really the best eating apple.

[tochowchick]

I've seen them twice recently...first, Badali Fruit on Bayview...east side between Millwood and Manor and Summerhill Market.

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Summerhill Market
446 Summerhill Ave, Toronto, ON M4W, CA

[Chatty Cathy]

Thanks for the tip! Badali Fruit looks like the closest location for me and I'll give them a try. I saw Northern Spys for sale at a temporary farmer's market at Yonge and Dundas in late August, but they were charging $2 per apple, which would have made a pretty expensive pie! Hope the prices at Badali are more reasonable!

Thanks to everyone else for your suggestions. Courtlands are nice for baking but I have a real fondness for Northern Spys.

[gregclow]

One of the vendors at the Liberty Village MyMarket had some yesterday, so if you hit another farmers market this week, you might be in luck.

[Kagemusha]

Spys aren't wildly popular outside growers' stalls or some farmers' markets. They usually come at or near the end of the season but check the Foodland Ontario charts to see when they're available. Try Highland Farms. Courtlands are also a good pie apple and tend to be more widely available.

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Highland Farms
850 Ellesmere Rd, Toronto, ON M1P, CA