Apple season is the sweetest

In much of the Northern Hemisphere, fall is in the air with crisp morning air and blazing color on the trees. As the days shorten and we march inexorably toward the dark days of winter, there are a few respites along the way, chief among them the flavors of autumn, especially apples. If you live anywhere near an apple growing area, you will be able to pick and choose from dozens of varieties depending on what you want to do with the fruit.

Crisp and tart varieties hold their shape well for baking and are delicious for fresh eating, but some of the softer types are sweeter and make great applesauce or apple cider. My biggest problem is limiting myself to just a couple of varieties when I visit the local orchard because the possibilities are endless. Now it’s quiz time: what is the first thing you should do after picking a peck of apples from the farmer’s market or orchard? You won’t be surprised to learn that my answer is that you to start browsing the EYB Library for recipe ideas. 

Just in case those aren’t enough options, Saveur recently highlighted their top 17 apple recipes, for everything from pies to cocktails to salads – and even a twist on yesterday’s topic, macaroni and cheese. As that recipes shows, apples work well in savory dishes as well as sweet ones, with a particular affinity for pork. Being the owner of a massive sweet tooth, I am partial to flaky apple turnovers as my go-to use for the fall fruit. What is your favorite apple recipe?