I'm a fan of fall. What a great time to experience the slow, gentle let-down from summer that gets us into winter. From tremendous fall colors in the fields and trees, to crisp temperatures overnight that lead to the first frost. Eventually we turn the clocks back and try to relax into the holidays.
With all that fall has to offer, one of my favorite things about it is apple season. I know apples are available from all over the world now, any time of year, but I still think of fall as apple-picking time.
Do you have a favorite apple? Mine are Macintosh. Long before there were hundreds of apple varieties world-wide, there were the apples you would get from your own trees, or the farm down the road, and you were lucky to have a dozen or so apple varieties to choose from.It turns out our family is celebrating an appreciation of apples this week. Prices in our area are down to about $0.79/pound most places, and the selection is great. So today, Jen was making apple butter, bringing the wonderful fall smells of clove and cinnamon into our kitchen, along with the sweet tartness of the cooking apples.
And with that cooking in the background, one of our kids asked for stewed apples for breakfast. Easy enough, so I cut up a half-dozen or so apples and cooked them down for a half hour or so... mmmmm... no sugar needed. Maybe just a little cinnamon.
Don't miss apple time. Wherever you find yourself, get to a farm stand, or a great produce aisle you can trust, and see what interesting apples you can purchase and enjoy. It's a wonderful part of fall, and power pantry choices.
By the Way
While there are nearly 100 varieties of apples grown in the US, there are only 15 which make up almost 90% of the market. The US Apple Association has great information on these varieties, and a lot more: Most Popular US Apples
And there is much more to be learned about apples. Check out this list from Wikipedia on apple varieties from all over the world: Apple Cultivars
No comments:
Post a Comment