apple notes (part two)

November 12th, 2010

apple notes (part two):
what flavors and foods pair well with apples

Apples are an extremely versatile fruit that can pair well with warm, seasonal flavors and well as foods with a fresh, tangy profile.   Warm tones of vanilla, tonka, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, bay, caramel, butter, brown sugar, molasses, and sage.  Apples, raw or cooked, are a good companion to a variety of nuts and dried fruits including hazelnuts, pine-nuts, walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans, pumpkin seeds, chestnuts, raisins, currants, died berries and cranberries.  Apples go well with other fruits: pomegranates, pears, quinze, cranberries, figs, dates, oranges, and blackberries.

Read the rest of this entry »

picking apples, planting memories

November 12th, 2010

picking apples, planting memories

John Chapman (aka Johnny Appleseed) spread apple seeds in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.   Ask any first-grader as Johnny Appleseed appears to be standard first-grade Fall curriculum.   The lesson is time appropriate as well as fun.

Mr Chapman and his apple seeds did not make it to California but some forty years after his death someone did and that person planted apple seeds in Glen Oaks, California, a little town nestled against the San Bernardino Mountains (about one hour and a half east of Los Angeles).  At an elevation of 5,000 feet, Glen Oaks is the perfect climate for apple growing.   It also made for the perfect family get-away one Sunday.


Read the rest of this entry »