Autumn is for Apples
Autumn in Western Pennsylvania is a time for scary tricks and apple treats.
“These days people are starting to understand the idea of using locally whatever is in season and it's prime apple season,” said Becky Woods, manager of Quality Gardens Farm Market in Adams Township.
Stores and orchards are gearing up to provide the freshest, tastiest apples available, but with hundreds of varieties, it can be difficult to decide which apples go with what.
“We sell Mcintosh, Gala, Honeycrisp, Ozark Gold, Ginger Gold, Cortland, Empire, Jonathan, Wine Sap and sometimes Northern Spy,” said Woods. “Those are ones that are grown locally that we carry.”
The McGinnis Sisters Special Food stores have been getting apples from the Chambersburg and Gettysburg area for 30 years to sell and use in family recipes.
“We make a recipe with stuffed pork chops and chicken breast, and it has my grandma's stuffing, but we added apples,” said Jennifer Daurora, a family member who handles business development for McGinnis Sisters.
Different varieties can also be paired with foods to add texture and bring out flavors.
“Apples tend to go better with pork than any other proteins,” said chef Jeff Cowoski of Cowoski Catering.
“Pork is more prone to need a little bit more flavoring than other meats,” said Cowoski. “If you do a pork loin or a pork tender loin, they accept the fruitiness of the apple.”
Cowoski's favorite apple to work with is the Mcintosh, but he also likes the taste of the Granny Smith for his mini tartlets.
One of best traits of apples is that they can be eaten raw and on the go.
“For snacking, I think everyone loves a Honeycrisp or Gala,” said Daurora. “Those seem to be my favorite.”
Woods said her favorite snacking apple is the Honeycrisp.“My favorite pie apple would be Cortland, although everyone has a different opinion on that,” Woods said. “A lot of people like to cook with Mcintosh as well as use it for applesauce.”The fall is also a time for apple cider, which can be as different as the varieties used to make it.Cowoski's uses apple cider to make a delicious and tender pulled pork.Daurora likes to mix cider with different mulling spices for hot apple cider and cocktails.“(McGinnis Sisters has) our own mulling spice. It's kind of like the traditional mulling spice with all spice cinnamon nutmeg, etc.,” said Daurora.For many, autumn isn't autumn until there are drinks, baked goods and meals all with a taste of apples.“The smell of hot apple cider; the smell of baking with apple; it brings back those nostalgic memories,” said Daurora.
