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I've never even seen that variety, but I'd love to try it. The biggest question is, what is the texture and flavor? Is it a crisp, tangy apple? Or softer in texture and sweet? I often mix varieties for a complex apple pie flavor, but the basic rule is that if you like the taste fresh, you will like it better baked because it will become even more intense when you bake it. Good luck and I'd love to hear how it turns out! BTW, do you reduce the juices before you bake? I love this technique and started doing it last year. It gives the apple filling a really intense almost caramel-like flavor.

I am intrigued at the idea of reducing the juices? Do you cook the apples to reduce the juice before you fill the pie? Or do you just drain the juice from the mixing bowl and reduce it down?

I always mix the fruit RIGHT before filling so there's very little liquid leaching out, but I'm interested in trying this reduction idea!

The taste is wonderful--a really nice mix of acidity with sweetness and crispy texture. They seem to be available only for a short time so, I have to make a pie pretty soon.
I get them at an organic grocery here. Maybe if there is one near you.

I have tried caramelizing apples before baking them in the crust. This really intensifies the flavor, but I like having more of the juice in the pie.

I make a lot of apple pies this time of year. I like a tart pie, so I pretty much stick with Granny Smiths. A two-crust pie is usual, but I also make streusel-topped pies with chopped walnuts. I don't precook the filling, I use powdered tapioca as a thickener (see note).

Apple Walnut Streusel Pie
8 servings Prep plus cooking time: 1–1/2 hours

1 disk pie pastry
4 lbs. Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup granulated sugar
7 tsp. powdered Minute® tapioca*
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. table salt
1/3 cup Wood’s® Boiled Cider**
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 stick (2 oz.) cold unsalted butter
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 425°F, set oven rack to bottom position and place sheet pan on rack to catch drips.
Grease the pie plate liberally with butter. Line plate with the disk of rolled dough. Refrigerate crust for 15 min. while you prepare the filling.
Peel and core the apples. Half lengthwise, and slice 1/4" thick.
Mix the tapioca, granulated sugar, cloves, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and salt, in a small bowl. Place the fruit in a large bowl. Drizzle the cider reduction over the apples and toss. Dust with the dry ingredients, and toss again until evenly coated. Shingle the fruit into the crust, minimizing voids. Mound it up as high as necessary.

In a food processor, mix the flour, brown sugar, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Add the cold butter in chunks, and pulse just a few times until it resembles wet sand. Transfer the mixture into a bowl, and pinch it together with your fingers to form a streusel. Gently mix in the chopped walnuts, and sprinkle the mixture over the top of the pie.

Set pie on preheated sheet pan. Bake 30 min. @ 425°F. Reduce to 350°F. and bake another 20–30 min., or until juices begin to bubble out. Cover top of pie with foil if it browns too quickly.
Cool on wire rack a few hours before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

* Grind the tapioca granules in a clean coffee grinder until powderized.
** Wood’s Boiled Cider is available from: www.woodscidermill.com