“What’s so special about an Opal?” you might ask. You might also be asking, “What is an Opal?” Thankfully, we’re here to answer both questions. An Opal is a specialty variety of apple, a cross between Golden Delicious and Topaz that’s grown in the fertile farmland of eastern Washington, near the crystal-clear waters of the Snake River. An edible orb of sunshine, its bright yellow skin is mottled with natural russeting at the stem; the crisp flesh beneath boasts a sweet, tangy flavor and a seriously satisfying crunch.

Enticingly sweet flavor and craveably crunchy texture aside, what’s special about these precious pommes is their natural resistance to browning when cut. What that means for you is that you can cut them up and serve them in a salad—no browning. You can slice them and add them to a lunchbox—no browning. You can present wedges on a cheese tray—no browning. This makes them almost as appealing when cut as they are when left whole. Almost.