Grown in temperate zones throughout the world and cultivated for at least 3,000 years, apple varieties now number well into the thousands. Apples range in color from lemony yellow to bright yellow-green to crimson red. Their textures range from tender to crisp, their flavors from sweet to tart and from simple to complex. They're available year-round but are at their best from September through November when newly harvested. Buy firm, well-colored apples with a fresh (never musty) fragrance. The skins should be smooth and free of bruises and gouges. scald (a dry, tan- or brown-colored area on the skin of an apple) doesn't usually affect its flavor. Apples come 2 to 4 per pound, depending on size. For cooking and baking, use apples that will remain flavorful and firm, such as baldwin, cortland, northern spy, rome beauty, winesap and york imperial. Store apples in a cool, dark place. They do well placed in a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator. Apples are a good source of vitamins A and C. See also candied apple; cashew apple; crabapple; criterion; golden delicious; granny smith; gravenstein; jonathan; lady; macoun; may; mcintosh; newton pippin; red delicious; rhode island greening; stayman.