Mrs. Prindables

Golfcartrider: I am really sorry this happened to you because I have had just the opposite experience. I have bought Mrs. P's apples for the past four Christmases and they have all been lovely. I give a number of them as gifts and everbody really likes them. The few I have kept have stayed in my fridge for up to two weeks and still were fresh and nice to eat. These are such a nice treat and I am sorry you will be missing out because of what, I suspect, was a "rogue" shipment.

I ordered last year's holiday TSV from Mrs. Prindables and they were delicious. I got it on A-D and when the April shipment arrived, the apples were terrible. They were waterlogged and sort seemed as if they were carbonated. I know that sounds so strange but it's the only way I know how to describe it. Anyway, QVC was really great and offered to send another batch but as I was going out of town and couldn't be sure they'd arrive before I left, I declined. This October I decided to try again and ordered a one time only of the toffee lovers set. They arrived today and the jury's still out. We've cut into one of each of the flavors and two of the apples were not great. They were like my bad batch from April but worse-- the apple part doesn't even seem to have any flavor. So weird. Even weirder, the only one that's hasn't been a disappointment so far has some apple flavor but not the snap. It was so soft that it caused me to do a double take. The apple is really bruised (lots of brown spots) but it's also not a granny smith but a Macintosh apple (which accounts for the softness). Bruises and softness aside, it has the flavor an apple should have. No idea why there's a random different type of apple in there but if we cut into another one tomorrow and it's the same waterlogged and flavorless granny smith, I'm returning these too and giving up on this brand. It's too bad, I love apples so much and eat them all the time and a few times a year I like gourmet apples as a treat. This product is too expensive for the apples to be subpar.

On 11/15/2014 luvtoshopathome said: Apples are not at their best in spring summer. I love apples but find they aren't that flavorful and mushy at those times of the year. I would only buy the Mrs. Printables in the winter, but I've never bought them because I make my own. When I'm done making them they wind up weighing 2 ponds each! I dip them in caramel dip twice in dark chocolate, then put nuts (usually a mixture of pecans and cashews) all over them, dried cranberries and small salted pretzels then pour more chocolate all over them and then drizzle with white chocolate. My family has to have them for the holidays.

I've been thinking of making my own! They'd probably be tastier and would be without fillers and stabilizers, etc. When you make them, what kind of caramel dip do you use/recommend? I make homemade caramel sauce for sundaes, does that kind of caramel work (it's basically sugar and water heated until it boils and browns and then you add cream)?

You're totally right about apples in the spring/summer-- I should have thought about that before getting the a-d but didn't think about it until after the fact. I thought it'd be safe to get them this time of year but I guess not.

I bought Mrs. P apples at Christmas one year...the apples were not ripe and not juicy.

Very disappointed.

On 11/15/2014 jennys kid said:

On 11/15/2014 luvtoshopathome said: Apples are not at their best in spring summer. I love apples but find they aren't that flavorful and mushy at those times of the year. I would only buy the Mrs. Printables in the winter, but I've never bought them because I make my own. When I'm done making them they wind up weighing 2 ponds each! I dip them in caramel dip twice in dark chocolate, then put nuts (usually a mixture of pecans and cashews) all over them, dried cranberries and small salted pretzels then pour more chocolate all over them and then drizzle with white chocolate. My family has to have them for the holidays.

I've been thinking of making my own! They'd probably be tastier and would be without fillers and stabilizers, etc. When you make them, what kind of caramel dip do you use/recommend? I make homemade caramel sauce for sundaes, does that kind of caramel work (it's basically sugar and water heated until it boils and browns and then you add cream)?

You're totally right about apples in the spring/summer-- I should have thought about that before getting the a-d but didn't think about it until after the fact. I thought it'd be safe to get them this time of year but I guess not.

You go ahead and make them FRESH and send me a dozen or so ... I do not feel like spending $15 on one apple. My Mom used to buy them at Nordstrom's 20 years ago for my Son. His would get so excited when he knew we where cutting the apple - so cute !

Buy great apples, cut them up into slices, sprinkle with lemon juice to keep them from browning, and chill. Melt some caramels in a small crock pot sprayed with cooking spray and melt some chocolate chips. Get your sprinklings together: mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, sprinkles, peanut butter chips, etc......Then when the family arrives, set out your ingredients and they can custom make their apple dippers. I also do a bowl of peanut butter for those that like that as a base covering. This is cheaper, fresher, and custom, plus fun for the kids. You can also get some pretzel sticks to do. You can do it earlier in the afternoon and set out on wax paper and chill/put in freezer for a bit, and serve afterwards. Kids really do like this.

On 11/15/2014 tigriss said:

Buy great apples, cut them up into slices, sprinkle with lemon juice to keep them from browning, and chill. Melt some caramels in a small crock pot sprayed with cooking spray and melt some chocolate chips. Get your sprinklings together: mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, sprinkles, peanut butter chips, etc......Then when the family arrives, set out your ingredients and they can custom make their apple dippers. I also do a bowl of peanut butter for those that like that as a base covering. This is cheaper, fresher, and custom, plus fun for the kids. You can also get some pretzel sticks to do. You can do it earlier in the afternoon and set out on wax paper and chill/put in freezer for a bit, and serve afterwards. Kids really do like this.

Sounds delicious, thanks!

Thank You all for the tips and great responses!

If I have Candy apples again I will be making my own, now more soggy, tasteless Mrs. Prondables.

I forget to mention in my opening thread that there were also choc. covered pretzel sticks (the big ones) they were so stale I could not eat them.