Alexander is a big, beautiful heritage apple known for its Ukrainian origins and its parenting of Wolf River. Here’s an old apple variety that has won over fans in Europe and North America, over a period of more than two centuries. Yet most people agree it’s actually surpassed in quality by other apples, including Wolf River, reputedly one of its offspring. A large apple with pretty red striping, Alexander looks awesome and serves well both for fresh eating and for cooking. Just don’t expect a hard-fleshed modern apple; instead, this is a softer-fleshed variety, a characteristic that once was the norm but now is pooh-poohed by many.