No other fruit has played such a storied role in human history. An apple given by Paris to Helen led to the fall of Troy. A falling apple, so the legend goes, inspired Isaac Newton to discover the law of gravity. William Tell was forced to shoot one off his son’s head. And that brings us back to AdNo other fruit has played such a storied role in human history. An apple given by Paris to Helen led to the fall of Troy. A falling apple, so the legend goes, inspired Isaac Newton to discover the law of gravity. William Tell was forced to shoot one off his son’s head. And that brings us back to Adam and Eve. They just couldn’t resist a bite of this legendary fruit. They ruined themselves and created irreparable havoc with this luscious, forbidden fruit. One can’t help but wonder what they might have done for the following tasty apple delights.
Once upon a time, this humble fruit was either red or green and was relegated to the lunch box or the fruit bowl. Today, besides being the key ingredient in an aromatic, fresh-from-the-oven apple pie or tart, it can be featured in soups, salads and sauces.
Go to any farmers market and seek out an apple grower. He will be delighted to tell you about his heirloom apple seeds that are producing amazing varieties of fruit.
My favorite is Pink Pearl — a crisp, more-tart-than-sweet apple whose skin and flesh are indeed pearly pink. Then there are Winesap, Cortland, Bellefleur, Northern Spy, Black Twig and Baldwin, among other delicious choices. The heirloom apple season is short, just a month or two in the fall, but the fruit does very well in cold storage.am and Eve. They just couldn’t resist a bite of this legendary fruit. They ruined themselves and created irreparable havoc with this luscious, forbidden fruit. One can’t help but wonder what they might have done for the following tasty apple delights.
Once upon a time, this humble fruit was either red or green and was relegated to the lunch box or the fruit bowl. Today, besides being the key ingredient in an aromatic, fresh-from-the-oven apple pie or tart, it can be featured in soups, salads and sauces.
Go to any farmers market and seek out an apple grower. He will be delighted to tell you about his heirloom apple seeds that are producing amazing varieties of fruit.
My favorite is Pink Pearl — a crisp, more-tart-than-sweet apple whose skin and flesh are indeed pearly pink. Then there are Winesap, Cortland, Bellefleur, Northern Spy, Black Twig and Baldwin, among other delicious choices. The heirloom apple season is short, just a month or two in the fall, but the fruit does very well in cold storage.
Waldorf Salad
Serves 6
1 tart green apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 Red Delicious apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and diced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 cups watercress leaves, coarsely chopped
1⁄3 cup mayonnaise
1⁄3 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
12 butter lettuce leaves
3 oz. Maytag blue cheese, crumbled
In a large bowl, combine apples, fennel, celery, walnuts and watercress. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, yogurt and lemon juice. Toss with salad. Place 2 lettuce leaves on each of 6 salad plates. Mound salad on leaves and sprinkle with blue cheese.
Baked Apples with Raisins and Walnuts
Serves 6
6 large Rome Beauty apples
2 tsp. lemon juice
3 Tbs. melted butter or margarine
1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts
1⁄4 cup raisins
2 Tbs. sugar
1⁄2 tsp. cinnamon
about 1 cup white wine
yogurt or sour cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove core from each apple and pare the peel 1⁄3 of the way down from the stem end. Sprinkle exposed apple flesh with lemon juice. Combine butter, walnuts, raisins, sugar and cinnamon. Fill apple cavity with this mixture. Place in shallow baking dish and pour about 1 inch of wine into the dish. Cover baking dish with foil and bake about 1 hour, basting with wine every 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes. Serve with a dollop of yogurt. May be served hot, cold or at room temperature.
Heirloom Apple Sauce
Makes about 2 cups
6 assorted apples, peeled, cored and sliced (I love Pink Pearl variety)
1⁄4 cup water
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1⁄2 cup sugar, or to taste
Place all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until fruit is soft and starts to break down, about 13 minutes. Uncover, and cook over medium-high heat until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Purée in a food mill or food processor. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Louise Fiszer is a Palo Alto cooking teacher, author and the co-author of “Jewish Holiday Cooking.” Her columns alternate with those of Faith Kramer. Questions and recipe ideas can be sent to j. or to [email protected].