No sense denying it.

There are plenty of Washington residents who do not care for apples.

Sure, it seems wrong. You might think someone who lives in this state ought to crave the crunchy sweetness of a Honeycrsip or savor the tart snap of a Granny Smith.

But, shocking as it might seem, some Washingtonians are blase about apples. The reasons vary.

Maybe it was a simple matter of too many mushy disappointments 20 years ago. Perhaps it's a case of not enjoying shards of apple skin wedged between incisors like a paper cut in your mouth.

Not everyone enjoys doing an impression of a beaver chomping on a log.

And maybe the flavor, lacking high-fructose corn syrup, is unrecognizable as a snack to those raised on chemical sweetness.

OK, some of those concerns can be addressed by peeling and slicing. But that would mean time away from your smartphone.

It's probably nuts to assume that Washington residents ought to be enthusiastic about apples just because the fruit has long been an iconic state symbol. If an apple doesn't do it for you, there's no sense feeling guilty about it.

Still, it seems like a disconnect.

Perhaps the best we can hope for is that those who are indifferent to the charms of a Fuji or Pink Lady at least have the decency to affect the air of an apple snob when visiting relatives in other states.

"Bob, you're from Washington, you'd probably like an apple."

"Why yes, I would. But what's that insipid piece of fruit in your hand? Please take it away."

 

Today's Slice question: What's your favorite variety of apple?

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