Growing up in Western Massachusetts, when the leaves were just beginning to put on the most beautiful show, as kids, we would always head to my grandfather’s farm to pick a bushel of MacIntosh apples. My sister, Nancy, always tried to pack as many apples as she possibly could into the bushel basket and then the two of us would each grab a handle and attempt to carry it back to the car without dropping any fruit. It was a real feat, but such a great memory! Then the deliciousness began as our mother included apples in just about every meal! Whether it was apple pie, baked apples, apple crisp, apple cobbler or apple sauce, I loved every bite.
The tradition stuck with me throughout college and these days, Joe and I trek up to Sonoma for the best Gravensteins. Their flesh is so juicy and though the season is short, when these beauties are in season, we can’t get enough.
Of course, apples are always great to eat out of hand, but one of my favorite snacks is sliced apples sprinkled with a big pinch or two of cinnamon. That’s the perfect treat when you’re out for a walk or running an errand. A Pink Lady, one of my personal favorites, slathered with peanut butter is another one of my fall go-tos.
Apples are such a versatile ingredient, yet it’s always a challenge to know what variety to use for salads vs. cooking. Salads call for crisp, juicy apples but choosing one with the right flavor-profile depends on how you want to play off other ingredients. Salty Parmesan with a tart Granny Smith is a no-brainer. Fuji and Honeycrisp will also work. And for something savory, you might have seen me make a quick and easy recipe for Oven-Roasted Sausages with Riesling, Apples and Pears on my TV show.
If you going in the sweet direction like crisp, cobbler, apple sauce or apple pie, look for MacIntosh, Cortlands, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, and Gala! And this brings me to an all-time show stopper: Golden Delicious Ginger Tart Tatin with a dollop of crème fraiche on top.
So, enough talk. Grab some apples and let’s get into the kitchen and cook!
Bon Appetit!
PS Ready for more? Join me for this week’s “LIVE” cooking class on Instagram! I’ll show you one of my favorite go-to recipes and answer your foodie questions. Thursday, September 24 at 4pm PST/ 7pm EST @ChefJoanneWeir
https://www.instagram.com/ChefJoanneWeir/
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