Do you prefer Macintosh or perhaps Red Delicious?

Dear Dr. Norman,

Do you prefer Macintosh or perhaps Red Delicious? I must admit though, Granny Smith is difficult to top for baking purposes...

Chris

For years I preferred Macintosh, but then they went into a long period of poor crops, so I switched away. (They recently have regained their old sprightliness and taken on a new edge, so I have started sampling them again.) I switched to Fuji and then had a brief fling with Gala. But the current favorite is Jonagold, a hybrid. Hybrids are often to be preferred: too much reliance on a single form is dangerous: and subject to drift, and invasion by pests. Hybrids are more stable.

Baking is different. For baking I prefer OK/cancel because its tartness survives even intense heat.