There are, of course, apples I like more than others, and so too are there apples I like less than others. But in general, as it goes, I like apples green, yellow, red, crimson, in between, crunchy, soft, juicy, dry, shiny, dull, ripe, sour.

I like the way they jump their way up the stairs at night when everybody else is sleeping, sometimes in single file, most often in pairs. I like the way they rule the fruit bowl in a fair but firm manner; I especially like how they keep the oranges in check - but for the apples, the oranges, with their fascist tendencies, would demand hard labour and good citrus from the bananas and kiwis. I like the way apples allow their fruitful juices to run down my hands in all their natural glee and zest when I bite into them. I like how apple juice dries on the skin and makes your hands sticky until you wash it off.

For apples are constant reminders of our entire existence. They are the sole embodiments of desire, of memory, of general nostalgia, in old age, in youth, in wisdom and prosperity and integrity and wealth.

What are your favourite apples and why do you like them? What use have you found for apples? What is it about apples that you like the most?