It’s Gravenstein Apple time! That means apple pies! That’s because the Gravenstein is considered by many to be one of the best all-around apple with a sweet tart flavor perfect for baking and cooking. It has a short season and it doesn’t keep well, so the best place to find them is at farmer’s markets, on the west coast, especially within traveling of Sonoma Country, California and Kimberly Orchards in Kimberly, Oregon.

I first started making apple pies in 1973. David’s mother, April, made the best apple pie and I wanted to learn how to do it. That August, I made 50 apple pies with boxes of Gravenstein apples, Julia Child piecrust and Joy of Cooking pie recipes (with April’s secret twists) and the Apple Peeler Corer Slicer gadget, still available today! Wrapped in gallon size plastic bags, the pies went into the freezer raw, ready to bake in mid-winter when no fresh Gravenstein apples could be found. April charged 6 pies for “freezer rent”, well worth it.

Because it was 1973, when we were all Martha Stuart hippies (before Martha Stuart existed), I saved the peels and cores to make apple jelly. The leftover apples turned into applesauce, which I canned, with my big canning pot and Ball Mason Canning Jars. I’ve made Gravenstein apple pies just about every year since then, but never again on this grand scale.

In Sunriver, about 10-12 years ago, I made a deal with a friend in the resort to pay her freezer rent for keeping my apple pies in her big freezer. It worked out great, but somehow, I never got the bug to make pies by the dozen or two or three again.

This year, I took the ingredients for apple pie to Nevada City, and made my first Gravenstein apple pie in a couple of years. We split it among 9 people, and it was really really good.

Back to the future, I’m going to make one pie for the freezer, make a pie in Medford on an upcoming visit with David’s parents, and for tonight: apple frico. Take a hard cheese, like a cross between parmesan reggiano and cheddar, and grate it in the large holes of the grater. Sauté slices of apple in a good olive oil, until caramelized and sticky with their own juices. Place a handful of cheese in the pan and cook until crispy, layer with apples, then add more cheese and flip. Crisp the other side and serve. You will think you’ve died and gone to apple & cheese heaven!

September 4: Kimberly Orchard Bounty! (Another Full Circle)

Rainier Cherries and Kimberly Orchard Dried Granny Smith Apples…must be summer!

Harold Fogle crossed Bing and Van cherries in 1952 at Washington State University and named his new cherry after Mt. Rainier. What’s not to like about the sweet creamy yellow cherries, harvested at their peak for best flavor? In fact, birds eat about 1/3 of the crop before the cherries get harvested. They retail for about $5 a pound around here but can go for $1.00 each in Japan, where they are much loved.

Snake Oil or Just Too Good: This fruit is high in fiber, Vitamin C, antioxidants, and melatonin (for better sleep). These cherries (allegedly) fight inflammation, ease the pain of arthritis and gout (?) and headaches, and help fight cancer and heart disease (all according to the source  pnw.localnews.com).

I’m a big fan of Kimberly Orchards (think the best peaches in the world) and now I’m addicted to their dried apple slices- dried with nothing but their natural juices and a little lemon juice. Yummm…

The apples can be purchased just about year around if you know where to shop (such as Whole Paycheck/Foods) but the rainier cherries have a short season. It’s hard to practice moderation, but something so good for you can also make you sick if you eat too much!

July 25: Life in the Pacific Northwest