Eat Fresh - Apples

Published October 18, 2006 in The Spectrum & Daily News

By Kathryn van Roosendaal

Nothing says Autumn like fresh-picked apples.

OK, with modern transportation you can get fresh apples year-around, but there is something special about pulling a crisp, red apple off of the tree as the cool autumn wind blows leaves across your feet. In my childhood memories they were usually red delicious apples, which when bought in the store tend to be bland an mealy. But picked from the tree, they were crisp and just slightly tart with an aroma to die for.

There are too many kinds of apples to mention here, but suffice it to say if you don’t like apples it’s just because you haven’t found the right one yet. If you like mellow-sweet, you can go for yellow delicious or rome. If you like uber-tart, pick yourself a jonathan or granny smith. If you like something in between, head for the galas or rose beauties.

During the summer I like to eat my apples raw, maybe with some peanut butter or gouda cheese to go with it. But when the cooler Autumn weather rolls around, I break out all the recipes for cooked apples. I will have baked apples for breakfast, apple muffins for a snack, a spinach-apple salad for lunch and pork chops with applesauce for dinner. Then there are caramel apples, German apple pancakes, fresh bread smeared with apple butter and, of course, Dutch apple pie. If an apple a day keeps the doctor a day, my autumn feasting should force him into another state.

Baked Apples

These are extremely easy to make and are sure to become a family favorite.

4 baking apples (the recipe calls for rome or golden delicious, but I prefer gala or macintosh)

4 to 8 tablespoons brown sugar

4 teaspoons butter

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Core the apples and place apples upright in ungreased baking dish. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon butter and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon in the center of each apple. Pour water 1/4 inch deep into the baking dish around the apples. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees F until the apples are tender when pierced with fork, 30 to 40 minutes. Spoon the syrup in the dish over apples several times during baking if desired. Serves 4.

Pork-Apple Kabobs

Pork and apples go together like bread and butter. If it’s too cold to grill, you can bake these in a 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes, adding apples for the last 10 minutes of baking.

1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1-1/2 lbs. boneless lean pork loin, cut into 1 inch cubes

4 celery ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces

6 skewers, 12 inch

3 cooking apples, cored, quartered and cut in half crosswise

Combine first 6 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. Place pork in a shallow dish and pour marinade over. Cover and marinate in refrigerator several hours or overnight, stirring occasionally. Place celery in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover pan and steam 5 to 10 minutes or until just tender. Refrigerate. Drain pork, reserving marinade. Thread pork cubes and celery on skewers, allowing space between cubes. Grill about 10 minutes over medium coals turning frequently. Push cubes together and thread apple on skewers. Grill another 5 minutes, brushing with marinade. Serves 6.