Not all of the varieties you mention are widely available. I live in Minnesota and I've never heard of Russet apples. Northern Spy I've heard of, but never seen. Granny Smith is often touted as the go-to, but I find it to be one-dimensional, flavorwise. My very favorite apple for sauce and pies, hands down, is the Jonathan, which is more rarely found each year. It has a longer growing season and doesn't store well, so growers aren't very interested in it. The flavor is phenomenal, though. Time to begin my annual search for it.

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