As promised, a BRAND-NEW post about the season’s best offering: apples! I’ve already done some apple-baking, and you’ll find the recipe and photos below. My next project will be canning some applesauce with a visiting friend–I got my recipe from Ann and Bill Nye, EA co-op members! When I asked Mrs. Nye for her recipe, she didn’t recall the apple variety, so she left an apple at my door for me to take to the farmers’ market to identify–Ida Red it was!
Eat What:
-There are more than 7,500 varieties of apples
-China is the world’s leading producer of apples, followed by the United States
-In 2010, an Italian-led consortium announced they had decoded the complete genome of the apple in collaboration with horticultural genomicists at Washington State University,[7] using the Golden delicious variety.[8] Source: Wikipedia
Eat When:
-Right now! Farmer’s markets are exploding with apples!
-The earliest apples can be picked in mid-July (the Lodi variety) and the latest can be picked in late October (Fuji and Suncrisp)
Eat Right:
-Apples are an excellent source of dietary fiber–just be sure to eat the skin!
-They are also a good source of Vitamin C
-It had been reported than after adults ate an apple before a meal, they tended to consume up to 15% fewer calories. Swap your pre-dinner salad for an apple and save all those calories in the dressing! Source: WHFoods
-Apple top the “Dirty Dozen” list, so be sure to buy them organic when possible
Eat More:
-Try the Nyes’ “Christmas” applesauce: 15-20 Ida Red apples, about 1/4 C sugar, some cinnamon and a few red hots candies
-Apples go very well with pork–make cinnamon apples as a side, or try this roast pork loin
-Try apples in savory dishes, too! Here is an apple ginger slaw
King Arthur Flour’s Fresh Apple Cinnamon Scones
The picture above is how mine turned out–not too shabby! I made these for lunch on my day off and surprised my hubby with them–let’s just say Mr. Picky helped himself to seconds! I usually shy away from scones because past recipes didn’t turn out so well, but these were super easy and quick. Hershey’s sells a bag of cinnamon chips you can usually find at your local grocery store.
2 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Apple Pie Spice or ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) cold butter
3/4 cup chopped fresh apple, in 1/2″ pieces (about half a medium apple); leave the skin on, if you like
3/4 cup cinnamon chips
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened preferred
3 tablespoons coarse white sparkling sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1) In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and spice.
2) Work in the butter just until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; it’s OK for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated.
3) Stir in the chopped apple and cinnamon chips.
4) In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and applesauce.
5) Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until all is moistened and holds together.
6) Line a baking sheet with parchment; if you don’t have parchment, just use it without greasing it. Sprinkle a bit of flour atop the parchment or pan.
7) Scrape the dough onto the floured parchment or pan, and divide it in half. Gently pat and round each half into a 5″ to 5 1/2″ circle about 3/4″ thick.
8) To make the topping: Stir together the coarse sugar and cinnamon. Brush each circle with milk, and sprinkle with the topping.
9) Using a knife or bench knife that you’ve run under cold water, slice each circle into 6 wedges.
10) Carefully pull the wedges away from the center to separate them just a bit; there should be about 1/2″ space between them, at their outer edges.
11) For best texture and highest rise, place the pan of scones in the freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered. While the scones are chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.
12) Bake the scones for 18 to 22 minutes, or until they’re golden brown. When you pull one away from the others, it should look baked all the say through; the edge shouldn’t look wet or unbaked.
13) Remove the scones from the oven, and cool briefly on the pan. Serve warm. When they’re completely cool, wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to several days.
Yield: 12 scones.
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Holly R. Layer received a B. A. in Journalism from Penn State and served four years in the U. S. Air Force before deciding to go back to school to become a Registered Dietician. She loves running, reading, fine stationery, colorful kitchen gadgets and ALL things food-related. An avid cook and baker, you can find her in the kitchen most days whipping up something yummy. Too bad her husband, Andrew (an East Aurora native) is the pickiest man alive! You can find her at www.thefrozenpineapple.com.