You can’t beat a fresh, local apple
For the last few weeks we have been watching our red delicious
apple tree sit stagnant in the heat as the fruit on its limbs
weighed the poor thing down with all its might.
The birds chirped happy as clams as they moved in and played
musical limbs, teasing us with their ability to take what is
ours.
They did succeed in grabbing a few and knocking them to the
ground, but the abundance of fruit on the tree encouraged us to
believe there would be plenty to go around.
You can’t beat a fresh, local apple
For the last few weeks we have been watching our red delicious apple tree sit stagnant in the heat as the fruit on its limbs weighed the poor thing down with all its might.
The birds chirped happy as clams as they moved in and played musical limbs, teasing us with their ability to take what is ours.
They did succeed in grabbing a few and knocking them to the ground, but the abundance of fruit on the tree encouraged us to believe there would be plenty to go around.
And we continued to watch them, slightly nervous, slightly intrigued at witnessing the power of nature with our own eyes.
This past week a breeze kicked up in the air and a slight chill settled in to our atmosphere around Hollister, transforming our climate from an abrasive, warm heat wave to a luxurious fall setting.
The tree limbs fluttered like the wings of our favorite farm birds as the fruit began dropping to the ground, a result of the light breeze as well as the determination of the birds to sink their beaks in to a crisp, delicious red apple.
When it was finally our turn to harvest a few, I sunk my teeth in to the skin of one, and experienced a burst of apple juice slightly tart and sweet at once, my mouth tingling at the fresh familiar taste I hadn’t enjoyed in months.
Apples are one of those crops harvested once a year in fall and then stored in coolers for the remainder of the year to ensure there is a plentiful supply for consumers year ’round all over the country.
The thing is – once you know what an apple tastes like straight from the apple tree, it’s hard to want to buy one from Washington in June.
I have learned that by late spring, the California crop is usually sold out and so around our parts apples from Washington are substituted until they are gone. In late summer, just before the California crop is back in, you will find apples from such exotic places as New Zealand.
Much as I love an apple, I can’t get myself to give in to buying a piece of fruit that sat on a ship and then a truck as it traveled thousands of miles to reach the grocery store. It just wouldn’t taste as crisp and fresh. Especially when I know if I hold out for just a few more weeks, there will be dozens of varieties of apples locally grown at my fingertips.
Last week I had my first taste of a Jonagold apple from Lakeside Organics in Watsonville, which tastes like apple cider, and my mouth salivated between each bite. What a treat! And so worth the wait!
Take a drive through San Juan Bautista and you will see acres of apple orchards dripping with fruit ready to be harvested. Some of these orchards are Phil Foster’s and this week I will experience the first taste of his Jonagold crop. Because of the different climates, there is a noticeable difference in texture and taste between the Watsonville apples and San Juan Bautista apples. Both are sweet, savory, and all around addictive.
Fuji apples will come soon as well as Braeburns, Pink Ladies, and green varieties such as Granny Smiths and Pippins, which are both excellent for baking. There are dozens of varieties grown these days; it’s hard to know which to pick as a favorite.
In addition to taking one along for a snack during the day, I enjoy cooking with apples, too. Below are a few of my favorite recipes. Enjoy!
Apple Crisp
3 lbs. apples
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. rolled oats
4 tbsp. cold butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
Peel, core and chop apples, toss in a bowl with lemon juice to prevent darkening. In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; stir into apples. Set aside. In another bowl combine flour, sugar and oats. Cut butter into 8 pieces, and cut butter into flour until mixture looks like crumbs. Stir in nuts. Butter a 10 X 10-inch baking dish. Spread apples in bottom of baking dish then sprinkle with flour mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 45 min., or until apples are tender and topping is lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Apple Oatmeal Cookies
2 1/2 Â c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. baking soda
1 large egg
1 c. raisins
1/2 c. quick oats
1 c. oats (not instant)
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
3/4 c. salted butter, softened
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 c. honey
1 c. fresh apple, peeled and finely chopped
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine flour, oats, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves & lemon zest. Mix well; set aside. Cream sugar & butter; add egg, applesauce & honey. Beat until smooth. Add flour mixture, fresh apple & raisins; blend until just combined. Do not over mix. Dough will be soft. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets. If you wish, sprinkle the cookies with oats. Bake 25 min. or until bottoms are golden. Yields 4 dozen.
Beet and Apple Salad
3 medium beets
3 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. orange zest
2 tbsp. orange juice
2 tbsp. sliced green onion
1 tbsp. fresh mint
1 tsp. honey
2 c. lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 apple, diced
Cook whole beets in a steamer for 30-40 min. until tender. Drain, and cool slightly, remove skin and cut into thin strips. For the dressing: combine oil, vinegar, zest, orange juice, green onion, mint, and honey in a screwtop jar, shake to combine. Toss half of dressing with beets and chill for two to 24 hours. To serve, combine the salad and diced apple in a serving bowl, and toss with the rest of the dressing. Top with beets and garnish with mint.
