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HEALTHY HARVEST
Sweet, tart and juicy, apples are a triumph of fall — a hearty fruit that can be stored for weeks in the crisper. The old adage about an apple a day is because these autumnal superfoods are loaded with fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants, making them a smart choice for daily snacking.
BUYING AND COOKING
There are 7,500 different varieties of apples around the world, 2,500 of which are grown in the U.S. Of those, 100 types are grown commercially, making it a little intimidating to find the right apple for cooking. It’s helpful to know how you plan to use your apples before purchase. While Braeburns and Jonagolds hold up well when baked, Honeycrisp and Ambrosia are ideal for slaw, salads and packing in the lunchbox.
AROUND RVA
First Stop Donuts: One of the best ends an apple can meet is inside an apple cider doughnut, and this roving treat bus makes an excellent version, dusted with cinnamon sugar and served warm.
The Fancy Biscuit: Apples provide a refreshing contrast to crispy fried chicken and funky blue cheese in The Big Apple, a meal in biscuit form featuring apple butter barbecue sauce.
McLean’s: The A.M. sampler is a homey feast de breakfast of eggs, a trio of meats, home fries and a sweet heap of fried apples.
Anne Geyer of Agriberry Farm (Photo courtesy Agriberry Farm)
LOCAL FLAVOR
Although local purveyor Agriberry Farm doesn’t grow their own apples, they do sell fruit at the markets from some of the finest family farms along the Appalachian foothills. Co-owner Anne Geyer says her favorite apple is whichever one is at the peak of its season, but she notes that come mid-September, apples can be refrigerated for weeks, even into December. “If you put tree fruit under refrigeration, as close to 35 degrees as possible, it’s like putting a turtle or frog into winter dormancy,” Geyer explains. “It slows everything down so the top qualities are more locked in.”
RECIPE
Apple-Dubliner Turnovers
By Stephanie Ganz
Apples and cheddar are a delicious, tangy-sweet combination. Dubliner, a cheddar-esque, hard, aged cow’s-milk cheese, is a perfect stand-in for cheddar in these easy apple turnovers that come together quickly, thanks to frozen puff pastry.
Cooking spray
2 firm apples (such as Honeycrisp, Evercrisp or Braeburn), peeled, cored and diced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (14-ounce) package puff pastry (such as Dufour’s)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 cup Dubliner cheese, grated
1 egg, lightly beaten
Demerara sugar, for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
In a mixing bowl, combine apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir and allow to sit while you prepare the puff pastry.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry and cut into 8 equal squares.
Divide the apples evenly among the puff pastry squares and top each with a generous pinch of Dubliner (you should have an ounce of cheese for each turnover). Pull one corner of the puff pastry up over the filling and seal on the other side to make a triangle. Transfer triangles to a baking sheet, leaving at least 2-3 inches between each turnover. Use two baking sheets if necessary. Using a very sharp paring knife, poke two small venting holes on the top of each pastry. Brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with Demerara sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
