We live in ‘Apple Country’ here and it’s hard to think about writing about them when I know there is an apple expert in our midst. Tom Burford is the genius on apples (you can get his book, Apples of North America: Exceptional Varieties for Gardeners, Growers, and Cooks, at the market) and he will be at the market this Saturday talking about apple varieties while Marilyn Brooks will cook them up in a variety of different omelets. But I will try my best to write a bit about these fruits:
The first apple tree originated in Eastern Europe/ Southwestern Asia and over the centuries this single fruit has spread all over the world and it now gives us over 7,000 varieties. While apple season lasts from late summer through the winter, apples are also really easy to store. This is why you can find them at the market almost year round. Apples are a great addition to your diet especially if you eat them with the peel on which holds most of the nutrient value of apples. One interesting thing researches have found is that apples can help decrease the risk of asthma. This is largely due to the amounts of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients found in the fruit. The reason I love apples is that if you don’t like one kind of apple there is sure to be another that you do. Apples can be crispy and sweet, sour/sweet, you can use them for cooking, you can use them for juice, you can use them for alcohol! So what is there not to love.
If you missed the cooking demonstration then please click below for the recipes!
Just a few flavor affinities:
- apples + almonds + caramel
- apples + celery + walnuts
- apples + raisins + rum
- apples + red cabbage + cinnamon
- apples + ginger + hazelnuts
- apples + cinnamon + dark chocolate + yams
sources
The Flavor Bible