Shinano Gold is a Japanese apple variety that was bred in 1993. It was also planted in Italy in 2005, where it is grown for the European market under the name Yello. This apple is medium-large in size and has a beautiful smooth, yellow-gold skin, which gives this variety its name. The skin is resistant to bruising, and is rarely russetted. Inside, the flesh is juicy and crisp, with an excellent sweet, sub-acid flavor. The taste has tropical notes of pineapple, pear, honey, and lemon. In fact, the apple's flavor develops and sweetens during storage. This variety works well as a dessert apple or in recipes that call for a sweet apple. You can use these apples in chutneys or on cheese platters with strong, aged varieties like blue cheese or Parmesan.