As they walked the rows of still-bare trees, Meg felt a surge of hope. Maybe she could do her part to keep Warren’s Grove— and Granford—alive. And then she tuned back in to Christopher’s enthusiastic explanations.
“What we need to do next is …”
The World of Apples
Apples have been part of this country’s history from the beginning. The first European settlers found the native crab apples inedible and quickly sent for apple supplies: the earliest orchard in the colonies was planted in Boston in 1625. Apples were a part of everyday life, and almost every household had one or more trees on their property, using apples for eating, baking, and cider making. And cider vinegar was an essential preservative for our ancestors’ food.
American school children grow up with the story of Massachusetts-born John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, but he was more than an eccentric wanderer scattering seeds. In fact, he was a shrewd businessman who acquired his seeds from the discards of commercial cider makers and established his own orchards to provide an ongoing source of new seeds and cuttings. He distributed apple varieties over a wide area for many years.
Apples have a funny habit of propagating themselves, constantly creating new varieties in the wild, even today. While modern commercial orchardists have focused their efforts on a very limited number of apple types, emphasizing yield and efficiency of production, many of the older varieties survive here and there, if you know where to look. The New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York, is keeping the wealth of varieties alive, with over 2,500 examples.
Apple names recall their long history and even hold a touch of romance: Belle de Boskoop, Cornish Gilliflower, Hubbardston Nonesuch, Knobbed Russet, Pitmaston Pineapple, Sheepsnose,and Westfield Seek-No-Further—all link us to the long and diverse history of the apple.
There is no one perfect apple. Some make delightful eating (Baldwin, Fuji, Gala, HoneyCrisp, Braeburn), others work well for succulent pies (Cortland, Jonathan, Granny Smith, Winesap, Rome Beauty), and still others are bitter on the tongue but make great cider.
If you would like a charming glimpse into the diversity of apple varieties, please seek out Roger Yepsen’s small illustrated book titled simply Apples. It is both delightful and useful reading.
Apple Recipes
Caneton aux Pommes et Poivre Vert
(Duck with Apples and Green Peppercorns)
One duck, fresh if possible, or four duck breasts or thigh pieces Kosher salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large tart apple, such as Granny Smith, Cortland, or Braeburn
2 tablespoons preserved green peppercorns (You may substitute dried peppercorns, but soak them first to soften.)
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 cup hard cider (You may substitute fresh cider.)
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Preheat the oven to 300˚.
If you are using a whole duck, divide into quarters (removing the backbone). Score the skin and fat of the duck pieces without cutting into the flesh. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large ovenproof saute pan or skillet (into which you can fit a rack), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, about 2 to 3 minutes. Sear the duck pieces, skin side down, for about 4 to 5 minutes, without moving.
Transfer the duck pieces to a plate and pour off the fat from the pan. Place a rack in the pan, and set the duck pieces on the rack, skin side up. Place in the oven and roast for approximately 45 minutes or until the duck is medium rare or registers 165° on an instant-read thermometer. Set the duck pieces aside to keep warm while you make the sauce.
Core but do not peel the apple and slice ⅛ inch thick. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan, then place the pan on the stove over medium heat. Add the apple slices and peppercorns and cook, turning occasionally, until the apples are golden, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots and rosemary and cook, stirring, until the shallots soften, about 2 minutes. Add the hard cider and increase the heat until the mixture comes to a simmer, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the honey and cider vinegar, and simmer for another minute. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Serve the duck pieces topped with the apples and sauce.
Rachel’s Apple Muffins
1¼ cups milk
1½ cups whole-bran cereal (You may substitute 3 cups corn flakes or 2 cups instant oatmeal.)
¾ cup finely diced tart apples
2 tablespoons plus ⅓ cup sugar, divided
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup melted shortening or vegetable oil
Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease muffin tins for 12 muffins or line with baking cups.
Combine milk and cereal in a large mixing bowl.
Sprinkle the diced apples with 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon and toss lightly.
Sift together ⅓ cup sugar, flour, salt, and baking powder.
Add egg and melted shortening to the milk and cereal, and stir in apples. Add the dry ingredients all at once. Mix only until the dry ingredients are moistened. Batter will be lumpy.
Fill greased/lined muffin tins two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. If you like, you may dip the warm muffins in cinnamon sugar.
Aunt Nettie’s Apple Goodie
¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt
4 cups sliced apples
TOPPING
½ cup oatmeal
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup flour
¼ cup butter
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
Preheat oven to 375°.
Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and sliced apples. Place in greased baking dish.
Mix together topping ingredients to make crumbs and sprinkle over apples.
Bake for 35 or 40 minutes until brown and bubbly.
Apple Pie á la Grace Paley
This recipe was inspired by the poem “The Poet’s Occasional Alternative” by Grace Paley.
1 cup dried apricots
2 cups apples, peeled and sliced (Choose a variety of apple that cooks well, such as Braeburn, Cortland, or Granny Smith.)
1 cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
A double pie crust (top and bottom) of your choice, unbaked— homemade or purchased
2 tablespoons butter
Preheat the oven to 400°.
Soak the apricots in boiling water to soften. Drain well and pat dry.
Pare, core, and thinly slice the apples. Mix together the apple slices, apricots, cranberries, sugar, and flour.
Line a 9-inch pie plate with one crust and fill with the apple mixture. Dot with butter. Cover with the second crust and crimp the edges. Cut vents on the top for the steam to escape.
Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350° and continue baking for another 45 minutes. If the crust appears to be browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
You may vary the filling by adding a peeled, sliced quince if you can find one. This gives the filling a lovely silky quality.
Fresh Apple Cake
1½ cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded apples (Do not peel—the skin adds texture to the cake; the shredding disk of a food processor works very well.)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
GLAZE
2 tablespoons butter
2 table
spoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter and flour a 9- or 10-inch tube pan (8-cup capacity).
Combine oil and sugar in a bowl. Blend very well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Sift these into the oil-egg mixture and combine thoroughly. Add the raw apples. Mix well with a spoon or spatula, then add the vanilla. Pour the batter into the pan.
Bake for 1¼ hours, or until the cake tests done (tester comes out clean). Remove from the oven and let rest while you prepare the glaze.
Glaze: Melt the butter, sugars, and heavy cream mixed with vanilla in a heavy pan. Boil for 1 minute without stirring, then remove from heat.
Let the cake cool for a few minutes before removing it from the pan. Spoon the glaze over the cake while it is still warm.
This is an excellent party cake, as it travels well and stays moist. You may also cut the recipe in half.
One Bad Apple Page 28