Thursday, October 07, 2021

October Daily 7: Apples

 


Every autumn when I was a child, my parents purchased a box or two of apples. They came in wooden boxes that later made fine storage boxes for garden implements and tools, or beds for dolls. They were stored in the basement cool room, a small room with a vent to the outdoors to allow the cold air in. 

The pale yellow Transparent apples went soft quite quickly and were used for making applesauce. I loved the MacIntosh variety that was better for eating. Biting into one made a satisfying crunch with sweet juice filling my mouth. 

As I grew older, I craved the sour green Granny Smiths, so good for pies. Gala, Pink Lady, and Ambrosia apples are the ones we see in the stores now.

Several years ago we planted a couple of small apple trees, a Liberty and an Akane. We keep them well trimmed so that no ladder is needed to pick the fruit. This year the harvest is plentiful to overflowing. Neighbours and visitors, even the technician that came to work on our Internet connection are all offered a bag of apples. I've filled the fridge drawer with them to keep them crisp longer, but there are still more apples. 


One recipe I make every year is Danish Pastry Apple Squares from the cookbook above. They freeze well and I cut them into squares and freeze them in the containers Tim takes to work.

Of course, we eat them fresh and warm from the oven, too, and that's when they are at their very best. I adapted the recipe slightly and you can find it at my recipe blog by clicking the link above.  


Hooray for apples! Here are a few apple sayings -- 

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Just because you find one bad apple doesn't mean you should give up on the whole tree.

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree. (Martin Luther)


Do you enjoy eating and baking with apples?


35 comments:

  1. Autumn and apples go hand-in-hand! I made some apple butter with some apples bought at a farmer's market, but I haven't made any apple desserts this year. You must have the magic touch with apple trees!

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    1. They don't produce like this every year, and we don't do much to them. I won't have to purchase apples until the New Year, at least!

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  2. Apples coming out of our ears too. We have been bagging them up and giving to family and neighbours. In the garage we have stored them too. I hope they keep. B x

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    1. There are still quite a few on the trees and before it freezes we'll pick them and store them in the garage, too.

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  3. We have a couple of apple trees but their crop has not done particularly well this year. The Danish Pastry Apple Squares look really delicious and very moorish. I bet Tim looks forward to finding them in his lunch box each day.

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    1. Our apple trees seem to produce a bumper crop every two years and then a mediocre one in between.

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  4. I love apples! We always went to the orchard every fall while living in NC.

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    Replies
    1. Apples are so versatile - and delicious.

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  5. How wonderful that you have your own apple trees and share the bounty with others. Your Danish Apple Squares look heavenly. I’m going to check my old BHG cookies cookbook (mine has a different cover) and see if the recipe is in there. Happy weekend, Lorrie!

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    Replies
    1. Those old cookbooks have some good recipes.

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  6. Every hike we make, we take apple slices in a bag and after the hike we snack on them. That has become our favorite snack. It give you a little pick me up and if we've gone on a long hike, we have cheese sticks and wheat thins too. I eat a small organic apple every day. I always loved baking with them. And sometimes I dice a few in my oats in the morning and cook them with the oats. SO GOOD! I'm loving all of your Fall posts!

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    Replies
    1. Apples and oats are such a great combination.

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  7. How wonderful to grow apples in your garden. There are loads of apples trees here in gardens too. Such a treat!

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    1. Our little apple trees don't take up much space and do very well.

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  8. SIGHHHHHH

    My comment disappeared!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I love this whole post. .... My husband loves my MacIntosh Apple Pies with home made crust. .... Sweet memory...

    🍂 🎃 😊 🍁 🌰 🌻 🍂

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish I knew why some people have such difficulty commenting. Sigh. I'll be baking an apple pie this weekend.

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  9. Lorrie, in the house I grew up in we had such a room as you described in our basement too. My mom referred to it as the fruit cellar. All sorts of goodness was kept there. A Macintosh is my favorite apple and they are hard to find in our area.
    Thanks for the recipe - happy apple picking.

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    1. I don't see many MacIntosh apples around here anymore. Yes, rows of canning and boxes of potatoes and apples in the cellar.

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  10. Lovely post. Apples!
    Your recipe is bookmarked. The squares will be easier to store than pie.

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    1. Apples are so delicious! Yes, the squares are easy to store.

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  11. Macintosh are my favorite apples but are so difficult to find in stores here the last few years. We always had apples around because my father was produce buyer for the Nashville Kroger stores when I was a child. I've been on a no desserts diet for 6 weeks but fall normally means baking so I'm thinking about changing my plan to allow home baked fruit desserts. I just feel too deprived!

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    1. Just a little bit of a fruit dessert can be very satisfying. I don't see many Macintosh apples around here anymore, either.

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  12. Hello, I ran across your blog when I was trying to find a good apple recipe...yours looks delicious!! I love Macintosh apples and in fact have a box of them in my garage! I can't wait to try the recipe, old recipes are always wonderful. I'm glad I found your blog, I will be back to check out more!

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    1. Hello Barb,
      Thanks for stopping by. Do you grow your own Macintosh apples? They are not so easy to find anymore.

      Delete
  13. Apples are a big favourite around here in fact I'm planning an apple dessert today. Our supper otherwise is leftovers and that calls for a nice dessert.

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    Replies
    1. Apple desserts always make a lovely ending to any meal!

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  14. Anonymous5:04 PM

    I enjoy a good apple. Just purchased a bag Macintosh. Enjoy your apples.
    Marilyn

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    Replies
    1. Delicious! I don't see Macintosh apples much anymore. Enjoy!

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  15. I have had a flourishing apple tree in my garden for many years. first at one place and when we moved that another yard also had an apple tree. For years I froze a lot of pie filling and made applesauce, but now that I am alone, that has come to an end.

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    Replies
    1. Life's seasons change our behaviour, don't they?

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  16. We have two young liberty apple trees and they produced well this year. I look forward to the coming years when I can give them away like that! They are so good! Do you spray them at all? They seem to be easy care so far. We found out that we should have sprayed our nectarine trees, too late. They blossomed and then produced shriveled up leaves.

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    1. Hi Anneliese,
      We do spray them with dormant oil in January or February, and if we are really organized, once more before the leaves form. There are worms in some apples, but we don't use any pesticides. Fruit trees can be difficult.

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  17. I think I will try your recipe this week, it looks so good!
    And Normandy is the land of apples.

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  18. I enjoy drinking my apple spice teas!

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  19. I meant to tell you that my BHG cookbook is called Cookies and Candy. I may order the one that you have.

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