In Season: Apples
With the beginning of the school year and temperatures starting to become a bit more comfortable, it’s easy to tell that summer is making its way into the sunset. Autumn is making its presence known and we can now enjoy the seasonal fruits and vegetables of the new season. Like many other people, when I see apples, I think of Fall and all of the ways to use them.
There are hundreds of varieties of apples, as can be seen on the All About Apples website. You may find that there are many local orchards in your own town that will allow you to spend a fun day with the family filling up bushel baskets of apples to take home and enjoy. Just think of the fun your children (and you) will have while spending time outside in an orchard picking the perfect apples to take home and make an apple pie or perhaps fresh applesauce.
Here are some interesting facts about apples to get you started:
- Apples ripen six to ten times faster at room temperature than if they were refrigerated. For optimal storage, apples should be kept at 35-40 degrees with relative humidity of 80-90%.
- A bushel of apples weighs approximately 42 pounds.
- Apple varieties range in size from a little larger than a cherry to as large as a grapefruit. There are apples that have an aftertaste of pears, citrus, cinnamon, cloves, coconut, strawberries, grapes and even pineapple!
Now that you are daydreaming about a nice warm apple crisp or even biting into a fresh, crisp apple, it’s time to share some places to find great ways of using the bushel of apples you will be sure to pick this fall.
Why not make some Fresh Applesauce from Epicurious rather than buying the pre-made product? It’s sure to be healthier and you’ll feel good serving it to your family.
Food Network has a whole slew of Apple Crisp recipes to share with your family.
Bring a thin French Apple Tart from Cooking Light to your next get-together and you’ll be sure to impress everyone.
Sources: Pick Your Own and All About Apples
Photo courtesy of All About Apples.
