Manzana

Brush the cut surfaces with lemon juice, or toss the pieces briefly in water with a little lemon juice. Keep them covered in the fridge if you are not eating them straight away.

Yes. The skin is edible and adds a little crunch; rinse the apple under running water and rub it dry before eating. Peel it if you need a smoother texture for a purée or pie filling.

Keep apples in the fridge to slow softening, ideally in a separate drawer or bag. They release ethylene, which can make nearby fruit and vegetables ripen faster.

For apple crumble, stew peeled or unpeeled slices with a splash of water until just tender, then cover with crumble topping and bake at 180 °C until golden. Apples also work well in pies, chutneys and savoury dishes with pork.

Cooking apples soften quickly and turn fluffy, making them useful for purée and crumble; eating apples tend to keep more shape. For a pie with distinct slices, use a firm eating apple rather than one that collapses during cooking.

Whole apple pieces can be a choking hazard for young children. Cook apple until soft or grate it finely, and serve it in an age-appropriate shape while supervising them.

A 100 g portion provides 2 g of fibre, so an apple contributes some fibre but is not classed as a source under the usual nutrition threshold.

Apple contains 0.3 g of protein per 100 g, so it is not a meaningful protein food.