Is there any part of autumn that tastes better than a crisp local apple or glass of fresh cider?
Summer has its own fabulous fruits, but in the fall we celebrate the apple, America’s favorite homegrown fruit.
Fortunately for us, we can find plenty of local apple growers where we can get them freshly plucked from the trees. We also can celebrate them this weekend at the 47th annual Peddler’s Village Apple Festival in Lahaska. There will be pies and other apple baked goods, cider, apples and lots of live music. The festival is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.
Americans eat an average of about 45 pounds of apples each year, fresh and processed in other products such as applesauce, pies, cider and juice.
The best-tasting apples are from local orchards. As the harvest has progressed, more varieties are available, and some aren’t picked until November. When you have lots of apples you can bake with them, dry them to use as a lunchbox treat, make sauce, pickle them, juice them or just core and bake them with a little butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.
Any farm store staff member can tell you which apples are best for eating and which for baking. When I make a pie, crisp or applesauce I like to mix up apple varieties to create better flavor. My current favorite for eating and cooking is Crimson Crisp, which has both tart and sweet flavor notes. But I pretty much like most apples except for Red Delicious, which has had all the flavor bred out of it in favor of perfect color and shape.
Sweet recipes are a favorite way to use apples, but savory ones are good too. This one is from foodnetwork.com:
3 slices bacon
1 small onion, chopped
2 medium apples, peeled and chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ cups unsweetened apple juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
2 slices rye bread, toasted
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Chopped fresh chives, for topping
1 . Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain; let cool slightly, then roughly chop. Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings from the pot.
2. Increase the heat under the pot to medium high. Add the onion, apples and potato and cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are soft, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken broth, apple juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potato is soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons of the cheddar until melted. Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree. Return to the pot and season with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Spread the bread with the mustard and sprinkle with the reserved 2 tablespoons cheese. Broil until the cheese melts, about 30 seconds, then cut into 1-inch squares. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the bacon, chives, cheese croutons and more pepper.
Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.
