all applesabout Recipes & Resources with yankee senior food editor amy traverso
- Amy Traverso
In this document, you’ll find some of my favorite classic apple recipes as well as a list of the best apple orchards in New England. If you’re looking for more regional recipes and travel tips from our experts, check out NewEngland.com.
You can also see my Weekends with Yankee cohost, Richard Wiese, and I explore Scott Farm Orchard in Dummerston, Vermont, and learn more about heirloom varieties here
Be sure to subscribe to our New England Today e-newsletter so you don’t miss any of the upcoming Flavors of New England webinars.
See you next time!
First and foremost, thank you for joining Yankee’s All About Apples Webinar. I hope you had as much fun as I did. If you registered to attend but missed the webinar, don’t fret! You’ll recieve a link to the recording in your email.
“Everyone who loves apples will want Amy Traverso’s book for her remarkable illustrated primer. And everyone who loves to cook will grab the book for her imaginative and clearly written recipes.” Greenspan, author of Everyday Dorie YOUR COPY
“The perfect apple primer.” Splendid Table “An oft-used resource both at home and at my bakery.” Joanne Chang, author of Pastry Love
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bills The freshlowdownfrom Yankee’s apple expert, senior food AmyeditorTraverso. originally published in the september / october 2016 issue of yankee magazine
by joe
ask the expert : What Should I Do With All These Apples?
Varieties
Mix It Up
The longer a dish cooks, the firmer the apple should be. “My grandma made apple pie with Macs,” Traverso recalls. “They were delicious, but they were essentially applesauce pies.” She recommends using softer apples for dishes that cook quickly, like muffins, and firmer ones for dishes that cook 45 minutes or more.
Freshness
Today apples have become the world’s third most widely grown fruit, behind only bananas and grapes. Here in New England, apples are an essential latesummer and fall staple. But with some larger orchards now growing 100 varieties or more, it takes an expert just to sort it all out. Amy Traverso, Yankee’s senior food editor and author of The Apple Lover’s Cookbook, shares her thoughts on getting the most out of apple season.
All Apples Are Not Created Equal
Historically, many apples were prized primarily because they kept well. Technology has rendered that concern somewhat obsolete. If you don’t have a root cellar, Traverso recommends storing apples in a paper bag in your refrigerator’s produce drawer. “I’ve successfully stored Newtown Pippin and Northern Spy well into spring,” she says. “Also, pies can be made and then frozen prior to cooking. This is a great way to get extended use out of your firmer apples.”
In many recipes, Traverso prefers a mix-and-match approach: “Using several varieties of apples from the same category will introduce a spectrum of flavors that will give your dish a unique taste. In dishes like pies or applesauce, the more varieties that are included, the more complex, and delicious, the flavor will be.”
Extend the Season
Even if you’re limited to supermarket apples, you can still mix and match to get interesting flavors. A combination of half Granny Smith and half Yellow Delicious, Traverso notes, results in a complex sweet-and-tart flavor. Larger grocery stores, however, are likely to carry a varied array of apples in season. Pink Pearl and Calville Blanc d’Hiver are two under-appreciated varieties that she recommends keeping an eye out for.
In her book, Traverso divides apples into four categories: Firm–tart (Granny Smith, Rhode Island Greening, Northern Spy, Roxbury Russet) work in rich desserts that need some acidity; firm–sweet (Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Ginger Gold, Pink Lady) are best for delicate cakes and savory baked dishes; tender–tart (McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun) are best for sauces and for eating fresh; and tender–sweet (Gala, Fuji) are eaten fresh or used in salads or quick-cooking dishes such as pancakes.
Creative Shopping
One of Traverso’s favorite recipes for using up lots of apples is apple butter: “It’s easy, and it cooks in a slow cooker overnight. I cook the apples—as many varieties as possible for the most complex flavor—with a little apple cider. Once they’re simmering, I turn the heat down, leave the lid ajar, and go to bed. Some slow cookers run hotter than others, so try this out during the day first and keep an eye on it. But by morning you’ll have apple butter, and your whole house will smell amazing.”
Timing Is Everything
“The two things that will make the biggest difference in how your dish turns out are the firmness or tenderness and the sweetness or tartness of the fruit,” Traverso says. “It’s good to be aware of where an apple falls along those spectra. A softer apple, like a McIntosh, will dissolve if cooked too long. A firmer variety, like Calville Blanc d’Hiver, can be heated much longer without cooking down.”
Buying straight from the orchard or at a farmers’ market is best, of course. In the supermarket, buying fruit marked “local” gives you your best shot at reasonable freshness. Indicators like color and firmness often can’t be trusted, because growers and researchers have developed controlled-atmosphere storage methods to manipulate the fruit.
Like Butter
8. Remove apples from heat, stir in cornstarch, and spread out on a large baking sheet. Place in freezer to cool to room temperature, 12-15 minutes.
2½wedgeslbs(about 5 large)
1. In medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt until well combined.
6. Preheat oven to 425° and set one rack to the lowest position.
18 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut into ¼” cubes
10. Peel off the top piece of parchment and transfer dough, peeled side down, to a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Peel off the remaining parchment and press crust into the plate, draping any excess over the sides.
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt
11. Unwrap the smaller disk of dough and put it in the center of a large sheet of parchment paper. Cover with a second piece of parchment. Roll out to an 11-inch circle. Set aside.
Notes: Any combination of firm-tart and firm-sweet apples is fine. I particularly like Northern Spy, Sierra Beauty, and Esopus Spit zenberg for tartness, and Ginger Gold, Golden Delicious, Jazz, and Jonagold for sweetness.texture.
1/3 cup granulated sugar
6-8 tbsp ice water
15. Put the pie on a baking sheet and bake on the lowest rack for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake until the pie is golden brown, another 40-50 minutes. Let cool on a rack for at least 45 minutes before serving.
3. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons ice water on top, and stir with a fork until dough begins to come together. If needed, add 1-2 tablespoons more ice water.
13. Peel the parchment off the top crust. Transfer, peeled side down, to the pie; then peel off the remaining parchment and, using a sharp knife, make three slashes in the crust to let steam escape.
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1½ tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
14. Fold the bottom crust up over the top crust and crimp to seal. Brush crust all over with milk and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar.
7. In a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat, stir apples with sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. Cook, stirring gently, until apples just begin to turn tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead just enough to make it cohesive. Don’t overmix!
5. Gather dough into a ball; then divide into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Press each piece into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 30 minutes
½ tsp kosher salt
1½ tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Milk (for brushing crust)
Deep-DishBlue-RibbonApple Pie
2 tbsp firmly packed lightbrown sugar
9. Meanwhile, unwrap the larger disk of dough and place it in the center of a large sheet of parchment paper. Cover with a second piece of parchment. Roll out, working from the center, to a 13-inch circle.
Ingredients
total time: 2 hours, 45 minutes | hands-on time: 1 hour 15 minutes | servings: 8
2½ lbs (about 5 large) firmtart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch-thick
firm-sweet apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inchthick wedges
2. Sprinkle butter cubes over flour mixture, and use fingers to smear them in. Stop when the mixture looks like cornmeal with some pea-sized bits of butter remaining.
12. Remove apples from the freezer, and use a spatula to transfer them, with any juices, into the pie plate.
16. Serve deep-dish apple pie with vanilla ice cream, fresh whipped cream, or a slice of sharp Vermont cheddar cheese.
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TraversoAmyPhoto:
total time: 1 hour 15 minutes | hands-on time: 30 minutes | servings: 8-10
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and set a rack to the middle position.
My grandma Mary made this buttery, cinnamon-scented crisp every fall, and to me, it’s the flavor of home. This is her adaptation of a recipe from the November 1945 issue of Country Gentleman magazine; I still have the original, now tissue-thin and torn at the creases. I make it in summer or fall, filling it with whatever’s fresh: apples, blueberries, peaches, nectarines, raspberries, or pears. But it really is best with apples.
Notes: You can cut your prep time in half by using an old-fashioned apple corer/peeler, which makes short work of cutting the apples into perfect, even slices. For the perfect texture, I like to mix tender-tart apples, such as McIntosh or Jonathan, with firm-sweet ones, such as Jazz, Pink Lady, or Jonagold. The tender apples cook down and create a sort of thick sauce, in which the firmer slices are suspended—a mixture of smoothness and texture.
Grandma Mary’s Apple Crisp with Sweet Biscuit Topping
Instructions
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the eggs and, using a fork or a pastry cutter, work in until crumbly. The mixture will look like streusel, with a mix of wet and dry bits. Have no fear; the eggs provide enough liquid.
This is probably a different sort of apple crisp than you’re used to. It has a simple, sweet biscuit topping made with flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and eggs. That’s it. Just drizzle with the butter and sprinkle with cinna mon. In flavor and texture, it resembles a cross between a biscuit and a sugar cookie and I love it. You can serve it with a scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of heavy cream, or no topping at all.
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
8 tsp (1 stick) salted butter, melted and cooled
Ingredients
10 large apples, peeled, cored, and cut into1/4inch-thick rings or slices (see Note)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
4. Spread the topping evenly over the apples, then drizzle all over with the melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon.
2. Arrange the sliced apples in an even layer in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish (no need to grease it); set aside.
2 cups all-purpose flour
5. Bake until the topping is golden brown and apple juices are bubbling, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes, then serve warm from the pan.
2 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp table salt
1 cup granulated sugar
5 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
10. Line a plate with a few layers of paper towels and set it nearby. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat 3” of oil to 370° (test with an instant-read thermometer).
12. Repeat with the remaining dough (if you find that it’s getting too soft as you work your way through the batches, pop it into the freezer again for 10 minutes).
Vermont Apple DoughnutsCider
1/3 cup boiled apple cider
I have two favorite spots for buying these treats: Atkins Farms in Amherst, Massachusetts and Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury Center, Vermont. When I can’t be there, I make homemade apple cider donuts.
total time: 2 hours, 45 minutes | hands-on time: 1 hour 15 minutes | servings: 8
5. Add flour mixture and combine gently just until fully moistened.
Ingredients
3. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating a minute after each.
6. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and dust generously with flour. Turn dough out onto one baking sheet and pat gently into ¾”thickness.
4. Pour buttermilk, boiled cider, and vanilla into sugar/butter/egg mixture. Mix well, and don’t worry if the mixture looks a bit curdled; it’ll smooth itself out.
7. Sprinkle dough with additional flour, cover with plastic wrap, and place in freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
It’s a cider maker’s tradition to use some of the freshly pressed juice to make lightly tangy, apple-scented doughnuts like these. The cider adds more than flavor, though; its acidity makes the doughnuts tenderer.
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1. In a large bowl using hand-held or standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat together sugar and butter until mixture is pale and fluffy, 4-6 minutes.
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
9. Place cut doughnuts on the other baking sheet as you go; then transfer to the freezer for 5 minutes to firm up again.
11. Drop 3 or 4 doughnuts into the oil, being careful not to crowd the pan. Cook until browned on one side, about 1 minute; then flip and cook until browned on the other side.
14. Put the pie on a baking sheet and bake on the lowest rack for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake until the pie is golden brown, another 40-50 minutes. Let cool on a rack for at least 45 minutes before serving.
15. Serve deep-dish apple pie with vanilla ice cream, fresh whipped cream, or a slice of sharp Vermont cheddar cheese.
2 large eggs, at room 3½temperaturecupsall-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
13. When doughnuts are cool enough to handle but still warm, sprinkle all over with cinnamon sugar or confectioners’ sugar. Serve immediately.
1 tsp baking soda
Canola or safflower oil (for Cinnamonfrying) sugar (1-1/2 cups sugar mixed with 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon) or confectioners’ sugar Instructions
8. Remove dough from the freezer; use a lightly floured 3-inch doughnut cutter (or two concentric biscuit cutters) to cut out about 18 doughnuts with holes. (You may gather the scraps and roll again as needed, but you may need to chill the dough more to firm it up.)
½ cup low-fat buttermilk
1¼ tsp table salt
1 cup granulated sugar
Note: Boiled apple cider gives these apple cider donuts a rich, slightly tangy flavor. You can buy boiled cider at some gourmet and Whole Foods stores; from Wood’s Cider Mill in Springfield, Vermont (woodscidermill.com); or from the King Arthur Flour catalogue. Alternatively, you can boil your own cider by simmering 1-1/2 cups of fresh apple cider down to 1/3 cup in about 25 minutes--it just won’t be as concentrated as the commercial product.and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar.
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Apple Orchards in New England
Apple picking is just one of those September activities that never seems to grow old. Planning an apple picking adventure? Don’t miss our “picks” for the best apple orchards in New England. by amy traverso
15 BEST
Photos: Meg Haley
Pietree Orchards | Sweden, ME
First, a caveat: there are hundreds of wonderful orchards in every corner of New England offering not just fresh fruit but everything from cider donuts to hay rides to pumpkins. But as a lover of apple history and diversity, Amy frequents the following spots for the sheer variety of apples on offer—more than 100 different cultivars in some cases.
Six generations, 18 acres, 1200 trees, 57 varieties. These numbers form the broad outline of the Cayford operation, but for Jason and Heather Davis, now in their third decade of running the farm, this work is rooted in a passion for preserving their family’s heritage as well as that of the apple itself. Unlike some of our favorite farms, which more recently swapped out rows of Red Delicious and McIntosh for heirlooms, the Davises found many surviving antique trees on the property when they set out to revive it in the early 1990s. So they tended to those and added a few more and soon had customers young and old asking for the old apples in addition to Cortlands and Honeycrisp.
Gould Hill Farm | Contoocook, NH
Champlain Orchards | Shoreham, VT
Alyson’s Orchard | Walpole, NH
Cayford Orchards | Skowhegan, ME
Scott Farm | Dummerston, VT
This 626-acre property, owned by the non-profit Landmark Trust USA, produces 120 varieties of “ecologically grown,” low-spray heirloom and unusual apples, such as Roxbury Russet, Belle de Boskoop, Winter Banana, and Hidden Rose. It also served as the primary location for the filming of the movie Cider House Rules. There are classes on pruning and grafting, apple pie baking, hard cider making. And you can rent any of several historic structures on the property for a weekend getaway —including Rudyard Kipling’s estate, Naulakha, where he wrote “The Jungle Book.”
Poverty Lane Orchards | Lebanon, NH
Steve Wood and Louisa Spencer operate two businesses on this beautiful hilltop farm overlooking the Connecticut River Valley: Poverty Lane Orchards, where they grow dozens of antique and unusual apple varieties, and Farnum Hill Ciders, where they make complex ciders from the aforementioned apples. Both are worth exploring for their nuance and quality, whether in the pick-your-own orchards or in the farm stand/tasting room.
Is this the most beautiful orchard setting in New England? We certainly haven’t seen another one that matches its 75-mile view, which can spread as far as the White Mountains, making it a natural fit for our list of the best apple orchards in New England. It’s worth coming back just for that. You can also make a project of tasting the seventy-plus apple varieties that Tim and Amy Bassett now grow. One variety particular is worth noting: Hampshire, a tree that sprang up from seed on this very farm and, with its abundant juice and rich flavor, makes a great pie. There’s also live music, a pumpkin patch, a farm store with cider donuts, and a charming little nature museum.
“In the early 1900s, the USDA surveyed apple growers around the country and counted about 14,000 different varieties in production,” she says. “Since then, that number has shrunk dramatically. But these orchards keep this history alive in every sense.”
With gorgeous views of the White Mountains and more than 50 varieties on offer, Pietree is a pick-your-own dream. Sample apples you’ve probably never tried before: Dudley Winter, Black Oxford, Antonovka (a Russian heirloom). Or, stick with your usual favorites: Cortland, Empire, Honeycrisp. The farm stand has donuts, baked goods, and fresh produce and local grains, and the wood-fired oven turns out delicious bubbling pizzas.
This family-owned farm overlooking Lake Champlain is one of the oldest continuously operating orchards in Vermont. Bill Suhr and Andrea Scott grow more than 100 varieties of apples, along with berries and stone fruits, and do so using Integrated Pest Management techniques that minimize the use of pesticides (eight acres are also certified organic). You can stop by the farm’s market, where you’ll find a range of Vermont-grown-and-made products, or pick your own. Can’t make it to Shoreham? You can also enjoy Champlain’s apple and cider tastings at festivals and farmers’ markets around the state. An added bonus: their website offers a wonderfully comprehensive guide to each variety, organized by best uses.
The view from Alyson’s hilltop orchards is a close second to the one at Gould Hill Farm, with long views to the west toward Vermont. The orchard is run by Homer Dunn, a true-blue New Englander who takes tremendous pleasure and pride in his fruit. He grows all the regular favorites but has a soft spot for rare heirlooms like Ashmead’s Kernel, Hudson’s Golden Gem, Belle de Boskoop, Reine des Reinettes, and Esopus Spitzenburg. The orchard (which also grows peaches, plums, nectarines, and berries) spreads over 450 acres and there’s a seasonal farm stand, plus family-friendly entertainment on weekends. One visit and you’ll see why it’s one of our favorite apple orchards in NH.
Set in a historic region for fruit production in New England, this beautiful winery/restaurant/wedding destination is also home to acres of pick-your-own Cortland, McIntosh, and Roxbury Russet trees, as well as a spectacular antique apple orchard stocked with rare finds like Pink Pearl, Ashmead’s Kernel, and Esopus Spitzenburg—nearly 100 in all. You do need to make an appointment to pick from the antique orchard, but all it takes is a phone call. Tack a wine tasting and dinner at J’s Restaurant onto your day and you have the makings of a harvest festival.
Russell Orchards | Ipswich, MA
Please note that many establishments throughout New England have modified their hours and/or operations in response to COVID-19. Always check for the latest information before making travel plans.
Belltown may not grow as many unusual varieties as others on this list, but it is one of the most beautiful orchards in the state, spreading out over a landscape of gently rolling hills. Hop on a hayride to pick your share of Macouns, Jonagolds, and Cortlands, pick up a pie at the farm stand, and don’t miss the irresistible apple fritters, Belltown’s signature alternative to the usual cider donuts.
This is not your typical pick-your-own orchard, but it’s well worth a mention on a list of the best apple orchards in New England and, for passionate enthusiasts, maybe even a visit during the off-season. Why? Because it belongs to John Bunker, the self-described “fruit explorer” who has devoted four decades of his life to tracking down rare and unusual apple varieties and preserving and propagating them all over the state, including here at his own farm. His orchards are a living catalog of global apple varieties, and Mainers have come to savor these fruits through the “Out on a Limb” heirloom apple CSA he operates each fall, with multiple pick-up locations from Portland to Mt. Desert.
Antique apples are the focus of this family-farm operation, though you’ll also find popular newcomers like Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Gala. But why settle for the familiar when you can try Gravenstein, SeekNo-Further, and Sheepnose? There are thirty-four varieties in all, some dating as far back as the 1700s, which also happens to be when Jonathon Hurlbut founded the farm on a land grant from King George II. You’ll also find corn, zinnias, and other produce, not to mention fields of grazing sheep, but their commitment to preserving heritage apples makes it a favorite. The farm doesn’t allow customers to pick their own apples (though summer visitors can pick blueberries), but the charming farm store is a lovely place to shop.
Red Apple Farm | Phillipston, MA
Rocky Brook Orchard | Middletown, RI
Red Apple Farm, run by fourth-generation farmer Al Rose, offers the full gamut of apple orchard attractions (a farm stand, weekend barbecues, hayrides, cider donuts and fudge, farm animals to pet) while also operating a diverse horticultural program with more than fifty apple varieties, from Arkansas Black to Roxbury Russet. Right by the entrance, you’ll find an apple tree that has been grafted with nearly all fifty of the farm’s varieties sprouting off a single trunk—a spectacular sight that alone is worth the trip, and easily makes Red Apple Farm one of our favorite apple orchards in Massachusetts.
Belltown Orchards | South Glastonbury, CT
Maple Bank Farm | Roxbury, CT
Super Chilly Farm | Palermo, ME
Tom and Ben Clark, the father-son team behind Clarkdale farm, are two of the most personable growers you’d ever hope to meet. But that is just one of the charms of this hilly parcel located just off the Mohawk Trail. True apple aficionados, the Clarks replant about five percent of their orchard every year, adding 19th-century heirlooms, along with popular modern cultivars like Honeycrisp and Suncrisp, to their collection. Currently, they offer about 60 different apple varieties, but that number grows each year. At the farm’s rustic store, you’re invited to taste unfamiliar cultivars and ask about their best uses (the pick-your-own operation is limited to McIntosh trees). And don’t forget to pick up a gallon of Clarkdale’s excellent pear and apple ciders.
Nashoba Valley Winery | Bolton, MA
Where else can you find one of New England’s most beautiful beaches within a five minute drive of an apple orchard? Take a walk on Crane Beach, then head down to the road to this idyllic farm where the Russell family has nurtured 120 acres of apples, pears, berries, stone fruits, grapes, and vegetables for more than forty years. There are more than 30 varieties of apple available, including Northern Spy, Gravenstein, and Baldwin, as well as modern favorites like Honeycrisp. Shop the sprawling farm stand and grab a from-scratch cider donut and cider slushy, say hello to the farm animals, and sample some of the Russell’s award-wining ice cider.
Greg and Katy Ostheimer grow more than eighty varieties of apple on Aquidneck Island. Among the dozens of cultivars available at this pick-your-own farm (open weekends only) is Rhode Island Greening, Little Rhody’s own namesake apple, which was first discovered near Newport (not far from Rocky Brook) in the mid1600s. Terrific in pies, it has a tart-sweet, lemony flavor and, true to its name, bright green skin.
Clarkdale Fruit Farms | Deerfield, MA
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