Meet the Curator: Heather Hart

Q: How did you get into this line of work and what do you love about it?

Growing up in Pennsylvania farm country, I developed a love for fresh fruits and vegetables and an interest in agribusiness. Shortly after college, an opportunity came to try buying produce at a small market where I was working in Florida. I took the opportunity and have been in produce procurement ever since. I’m definitely a foodie, so I really love thinking about different kinds of produce and searching for the varieties and growers that can provide the best eating experience for our guests.

Q: How do you ensure that The Fresh Market guests get the best variety of apples to choose from?

We want to make sure we have apples that serve different purposes for our guests: the best snacking apples, the best cooking apples, the best baking apples, the best salad apples, etc. We then evaluate attributes about the different apples available—such as sweetness, acidity, texture and how they cook—to determine which varieties will provide the best eating experience for each purpose.

Q: How do The Fresh Market’s relationships with local farmers help with that?

Apples, like all produce, are impacted by the climates they grow in, and some apple varieties just grow better in Eastern regions. Our partnerships with local farmers give us the opportunity to carry more heirloom apple varieties than you’ll see at most stores. They also give us access to some great new varieties that aren’t grown out west like Snapdragon and WildTwist.

Q: Why is fall a great time to buy apples?

Fall is apple harvest season in the United States. So, now through December is when we’ll have the greatest variety of apples available to us right off the tree.

Q: What are some exceptionally good apple varieties that guests should try?

I’d definitely recommend our guests try some of the newer varieties like Sweetango, Envy, WildTwist (available in Winter), Cosmic Crisp (available in November) and Organic Sugarbee (available in November). I’d also suggest trying some of the heirloom apples they haven’t had in a while. McIntosh is the quintessential apple of fall in the Northeast, and some other varieties like Macoun and Stayman are really worth making a point of buying in the short window that they’re available.

Q: What’s your favorite apple variety?

That’s a hard question! If I had to pick one, it would probably be WildTwist because of its sugar-acidity balance and flavor notes. It’s also grown in Pennsylvania and New York, which makes it a local favorite. Those aren’t available until later in the year though, so in September I’ll probably eat a lot of Honeycrisp, Sweetango and Envy.