In the KitchenWe are often asked "What's the best apple?" How does a person answer that question? Apples come in all shapes and sizes, colors and textures. Flavors vary from sweet to tart, mild to biting, fruity or spicy. The following is a list of some of the apples you may find at Alldredge Orchards, with other new varieties available within a few years:
Braeburn:
Tart and crisp. Available early October. Good for eating, cooking and baking. Stores well.
Tart and crisp. Available early October. Good for eating, cooking and baking. Stores well.
Empire:
A cross between Red Delicious and McIntosh. Crisp, juicy, sweet-tart. Available late September. Excellent for eating, good for cider, cooking and baking. Stores well.
A cross between Red Delicious and McIntosh. Crisp, juicy, sweet-tart. Available late September. Excellent for eating, good for cider, cooking and baking. Stores well.
Fuji:
Sweet and very juicy. Available mid-October. Excellent for eating, good for sauce. Stores very well.
Sweet and very juicy. Available mid-October. Excellent for eating, good for sauce. Stores very well.
Gala:
Sweet and mild. Available early September. Excellent for eating, good for cooking pies, and cider. Stores very well.
Sweet and mild. Available early September. Excellent for eating, good for cooking pies, and cider. Stores very well.
Golden Delicious:
Mild and sweet. Available late September. Perfect all-purpose apple. Stores short-term.
Mild and sweet. Available late September. Perfect all-purpose apple. Stores short-term.
Jonathan:
Spicy, sweet-tart, juicy, crisp. Available mid-September. Good for eating, cooking pies, and cider. Stores short-term.
Spicy, sweet-tart, juicy, crisp. Available mid-September. Good for eating, cooking pies, and cider. Stores short-term.
Pastry for a double-crust pie
6 cups thinly sliced apples
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9. pie pan with half the pastry; trim to edge of pan. If apples are not tart, sprinkle with lemon juice.
2. In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add sugar mixture to the sliced apples; toss to coat. Fill the pastry-lined pan with the apples and dot with butter. Cut slits in the remaining crust; place atop filling. Seal and flute the edge.
3. Brush the crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Cover the edge of the pie with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking 25 minutes longer or till crust is golden. Cool on a wire rack.
6 cups thinly sliced apples
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9. pie pan with half the pastry; trim to edge of pan. If apples are not tart, sprinkle with lemon juice.
2. In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add sugar mixture to the sliced apples; toss to coat. Fill the pastry-lined pan with the apples and dot with butter. Cut slits in the remaining crust; place atop filling. Seal and flute the edge.
3. Brush the crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Cover the edge of the pie with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking 25 minutes longer or till crust is golden. Cool on a wire rack.