Harvest Time: An Apple A Day Just An Orchard Away

By Mindy Kobrin

Pick Your Own - Even at a Farmer's Market

Autumn is synonymous with apple harvest time. Crunchy, sweet, fresh and crisp, apples are fall's gems that cannot be missed. Afterall, does anything smell better than a cinnamon kissed freshly baked apple pie?

There is an endless list of appleliciousness to choose from including Russet, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Idared, Jonagold, McIntosh, or Fuji. Why not take your friends, family, colleagues or neighbors along for a ride through crimson leaves to a "pick-your-own" apple orchard. Cart home apples as a tasty souvenir, perfect gift or ideal ingredient for homemade apple syrup, yummy pies, drinks or healthy snacks dipped in peanut butter.

A dear friend took her boyfriend to PYO (pick your own) apple orchard, Wickham's Fruit Farm in Cutchogue, New York, and he absolutely loved it! They had so much fun out in the open air, back to nature and got to thoroughly indulge in their personal apple collection en route home. What a perfect way to rein in Autumn.

For extra family fun, why not add a tractor-pulled hay ride! So make a terrific day trip out of your apple adventure and head over to Warwick, New York's Masker Farm Orchards is still one of the only orchards where you can drive right up to the tree to pick your very own apples. From horse drawn wagon rides to live music, this picturesque orchard will soon become an apple in your eye.

If you're a fellow New Yorker, research your best match at NY Apple Country guide or simply check out PYO farms across the country and visit the ultimate Pick Your Own guide.

I'd love to hear about your favorite "picks" for orchard getaways and apple-themed recipes. Remember to visit us and share stories, photos and fun!

Now, with your fabulously fresh apples in-hand, have fun with a few of my favorite fall recipes.

If you can't make it out of town, hit your local farmer's market and Pick Your Own right down the street!

From jazzing up your favorite pancake recipe to tantalizing your taste buds with a tart Apple Martini, go green!

Food and Recipes

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Applicious Maple Syrup Apples

Top your pancakes with this applelicious syrup and taste the orchard!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
3/4 Cup pure maple syrup
1/2 Teaspoon ground cinnamon

Steps

In a large nonstick pan over medium heat, melt butter.
Add sliced apples and one tablespoon pure maple syrup. Saute approximately 5 minutes or until apples are tender. Mix in remaining syrup and ground cinnamon.

Preparation Time: 5-10 Minutes

AlastianApple Tarte

Taking Apple pie to a new level. Ground hazelnuts give this tart fall flavor.

Ingredients

For the dough:
1 Cup all-purpose flour
4 tbs butter
1 tbs sugar
1/2 Tsp salt
1 egg yolk
2 tbs water
For the flan mix:
1 Cup milk
1/2 Cup heavy cream
2 tbs sugar
2 eggs 1 yolk
1 Tsp vanilla extract
For the apples:
6 apples
2 tbs brown sugar
1 Tsp cinnamon
2 tbs grounded hazelnuts

Steps

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds. With machine running, add the yolk and ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds.
To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Transfer to the refrigerator, and chill at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375F. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a circle large enough to line a 9-inch tart pan. Grease a 9-inch tart pan with butter or cooking spray, and then lay the dough into it, pressing the dough into the sides.
For the flan mix, combine in a bowl the milk, cream, sugar, egg yolk and a touch of vanilla extract and mix it well. Peel the apples, cut them in 4 and remove the seeds then score them and dispose them in the tart pan, bake for 30 minutes at 375 F, add the flan mix and keep cooking for another 20 min, to finish add the brown sugar and the cinnamon, the grounded hazelnuts and cook it for another 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Preparation Time: 2-3 Hours

Drinks

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Big Apple Martini

Apple Pucker makes this martini sweet and sour.

Ingredients

1 1/2 shots De Kuyper Sour Apple liquer
2 shots premium vodka
1 Dash Lime Cordial
1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

Steps

Simply shake all liquid ingredients together in a cocktail shaker with loads of crushed ice then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Adorn with vibrant green apple slices, lime and toast fall.

Preparation Time: 1-2 Minutes

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