If Johnny Appleseed were alive today, he might be surprised and enthused to learn that America is one of the leading producers of apples in the world, second only to China.  2500 varieties of apples are grown in the United States, 100 of which are grown commercially.   With so many varieties on the market, how many do we actually eat?  We have our favorites of course, and often stick to the familiar choices that are readily available in our local supermarkets.   But should you have a chance, start sampling some of the other species as well.  One of my family’s favorite yearly activities is apple picking – each fall we are excited to try a new type of apple and are humbled by the myriad nuances of taste and texture that the Creator has put into this world.  A Honeycrisp apple for example, though seldom found at the supermarket, is the perfect choice for the new year – the sensation of apples and honey rolled up into one crisp bite!

      Once you “get to know” your apples, your facility in using them wisely will start to improve as well.  Over the years, many students have asked me which types of apples are suitable for cooking, eating, baking, etc.   Here is a brief guide to apples commonly found at the market and what they are best suited for:

• Red Delicious – the classic snacking apple.  Better for eating than cooking/baking.
• Golden Delicious has firm, white flesh and sweet crisp flavor. It is the preferred "all purpose" cooking apple since it retains its shape and rich, mellow flavor when baked or cooked.
• Fuji's spicy yet complex crisp sweetness and firm flesh make it an excellent snacking apple, but also a good choice for cooking/baking and stores well. Fuji flavor improves with age like a fine wine.
• Gala is one of my absolute favorites for fresh eating – it is just the right size for snacking and is great in salads, good for baking and very good in applesauce.
• Granny Smith has crisp tartness.  Its tartness really comes through when baked and sautéed, but also works very well in salads when you want the “crunch” factor and is slow to brown. 
• Macintosh apples are sweet with a tart tang, very juicy, and have a tender, white flesh.  Macs are best suited for applesauce or pie as their tender flesh cooks down quickly.  They aren’t so great for snacking as they tend to get mushy and grainy very quickly.  If making a pie, be sure to add enough thickener and perhaps use a combination of other firmer fleshed varieties as well (e.g. Cortland).
• Cortland is a great “all purpose” apple.  Cortland apples are good for snacking and work beautifully in baking, cooking and salads.

When refrigerated, an apple can last between 3 to 6 months, which makes it an ideal winter fruit.  In a few short weeks, this year’s apple season will be coming to a close, so now is your chance to get out and pick them fresh.  Fat, cholesterol and sodium free and only 80 calories – your body will thank you!

The Best Apple Kugel

An oldie and a goody, here is the best no-fail apple kugel recipe I ever came across, and my guests always ask for more! 

Serves 6-8. 

Dough:

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

½ cup oil 

Filling:

4 medium apples, peeled, cored and grated

½ cup sugar

1½ tbsp. fresh lemon juice

½ tsp. cinnamon 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9-inch square or round baking pan and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, egg, vanilla, and oil.  Mix until well blended and texture resembles crumb topping.   Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine grated apples, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon.  Stir to blend.

Place half of the dough mixture in the prepared pan and press down to form an even layer.   Add apple filling and spread evenly over dough.  Top with remaining layer of dough and spread evenly so that all of the apples are covered.  Bake for one hour, or until crumbs on top are just golden brown.   Cut into squares, serve and enjoy!