Photo by Ivy Dickinson

The food that I associate with the onset of fall more than any other is the ever-distinguished apple. You could say that I come by my associations honestly since my parents met while working in an apple orchard, and I was born in Wenatchee, Washington (a.k.a. the apple capital of the world). If you have ever been lucky enough to have picked a truly tree-ripened apple, where the fruit sugars have caused the inner flesh to turn slightly translucent or pink-tinged, your mouth is probably starting to water at the mere mention of the phenomenon.

To give you a little background, the apple tree is thought to be the mostly widely distributed fruit tree in the world, and the fruit comes in over a thousand varieties that are divided into four general groups (cider apples, dessert or eating apples, cooking apples, and dual purpose apples, which can be eaten or cooked). The flavor options are vast, and range from the sophisticated, slightly wine-flavored Macintoshes to the more subdued, honey-tinged Fujis, or even the bright and crisp Pink Ladies to name some of my favorites that are available at the Co-op.

Because apples store very well in a cool dry environment, their flavor will mature and change with time. England’s foremost pomologist (a scientist who specializes in the study of fruit trees), Edward Bunyard, wrote that by periodically tasting your stored apples, the apple lover could “ catch the volatile ethers at their maximum development, and the acids and sugars at their most grateful balance.” I have always appreciated these subtle changes in apple flavor that occur with time, but have never even considered the possibilities of utilizing a scientific approach to discover the “perfect apple.”

Apple dishes are a tradition in my house, which is why the first recipe I’m going to include is one for an apple cake that has been passed down through the generations in my family. As a kid this recipe often took center stage at birthday parties and other events. At times I can remember wishing that I could have a cherry chip cake like some of my friends had, but my wishful longings to be like the other kids always melted away with the first bite of apple cake.

Bell Family Apple Cake
5-6 apples, peeled and cut in cubes (the Co-op’s Fujis are a great apple choice)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
5 Tablespoons sugar
½ small can crushed pineapple, well drained
Combine above and set aside.
 
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons salt
1 cup oil
4 eggs
¼ cup orange juice
2½ teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a tube pan. In a large bowl, mix the second group of ingredients until smooth. Spread half the batter (batter will be quite thick) in the tube pan. Layer with half the apple mixture, and then spread the remaining batter over the apples. Top with the remaining apples. Bake 1½ to 2 hours. Cool 5 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

For my second recipe, I wanted to try a savory apple dish. When my search didn’t turn up anything that particularly appealed to me, I decided to make something up and test it out on my friends the Hog Heaven Handspinners. These ladies are seasoned tasters, so I knew it would have to be good, and that it would help if it contained at least two kinds of cheese. What I ended up with got rave reviews by all, except for our one member who abstained due to a gluten allergy. Next time it will be my mission to make something she can eat too. I would suggest pairing this with a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (there are several to choose from in the Co-op wine department).

Apple Leek Galette

1½ cups all purpose flour

½ cup vegetable shortening (I like the Spectrum brand carried at the Co-op because it makes for a very flaky crust)

3 Tablespoons cold water

1 Leek –white part only, chopped

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Macintosh apple, peeled and thinly sliced

2 oz. Bleu cheese, crumbled - I used Oregon Bleu Cheese by Rogue Creamery

2 oz. Parmesan Reggiano, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cut shortening into flour using a pastry cutter, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough forms a ball. Dough should be rolled out onto a lightly floured surface until it is approximately ¼ inch thick (can be a circle, rectangle, hexagon, or whatever you desire). Transfer onto a cookie sheet, minimizing handling and roll edges to create a shallow well. Sauté leeks in the butter until they are translucent and starting to brown. Spread the leeks thinly on top of the crust, top with crumbled bleu cheese, arrange the apples over the top, and then top with the shredded parmesan. Bake approximately 30-40 minutes until crust has turned golden and the cheese has started to brown. Serve warm.