Fried Apples

Good evening from a chilly wintry beach. We went from 80* to 40 in a couple days. My winter clothes are at the drycleaner's box storage; I was so proud of myself in June, sorting an entire chest of drawers for ''transitional'' clothes, capris, little cardis, long sleeve tees, none of which are suitable for the biting winter winds. I put flannel sheets on my bed, never have done that in October.  Today I made warm comfort foods for the freezer, mini meatloaf, meatballs in marinara sauce. But what makes the house smell extra delicious is my pan of baked ''fried'' apples.

Before the Pumpkin Cartel hired a press agent who made Fall about pumpkin and pumpkin spice [5 or 6 years ago?], Fall produce was all about fresh crisp apples.

I've mentioned that during my childhood my family didn't consume fruit unless it was on or in an umbrella cocktail, but the exception was just picked apples and apple cider each Fall. Mostly we were given some apple wedges and a chunk of cheddar or Brie as an after school snack, hot tea optional, Constant Comment in a little brown pot. I loved having tea with my mom. As for the snack, I preferred carrots with my cheese but Mom prevailed.
And very occasionally my mom would also produce a few extra yummy apple desserts, crumble, a pie now and then, or baked apples. My dad would make apple fritters and apple donuts
too, like most guys, he loved that deep fryer!

Some years my mother would make big pots of  applesauce, preserved in mason jars, always leaving the red skins so the applesauce would be pink. But her most likely to appear cooked apple dish  was fried apples, somehow made in a black cast iron skillet, each a perfect creamy crescent dusted with cinnamon. These were served with pork chops or pork roast and mashed potatoes, sometimes alongside meatloaf. We loved them.

I've never managed to fry apples like she did. Mine turn to mush that I pass off as fresh applesauce.

Instead I make my apples either in the regular oven [best] or in the microwave. The microwave apples are nice but they don't caramelize like the oven baked apples.

Here's how: cut four to 6 apples into slender crescents. I peel about half, because I like the skins and they're a pretty color when baked.

Now about apples...I'm a sucker for new and pretty apple varieties. These were from Trader Joe's and were so pretty and ripe and happy: Sweet Tango. And TINY.

 Fact is, it's best to choose old fashioned BIG apples for cooking, so much easier to handle and peel.

And the Tango Sweets were hard and  spiky flavored---not exactly sour but, uh...? Tangy?].

Last week I used locally grown Honey Crisps, which were fine and smelled great while cooking.

400* for 40 minutes.

Place the apples in a baking dish, one or two layers at most. Add lots of cinnamon,  a bit of butter [or my daughter likes ghee, no milkfat], a sweetener of your choice---we used coconut sugar, honey is okay too. Brown sugar isn't wrong but it overwhelms delicate apple taste. Add a blop of cider, you did buy cider, didn't you!? or water, just a bit. 1/8 Cup? Stir gently, put in 400* oven for about 40 minutes ***keep an eye, I'm not sure of the time*** stirring now and then, til fragrant and candied, not wet. If you microwave start with 6 minutes, cover only to prevent spatters. Prob have to micro another 8 minutes in 4 minute intervals.

 I buy a fresh jar of cinnamon each fall.

If the apples were very juicy and the casserole stays wet, dissolve 1/2 T of cornstarch in the cooking liquid, then fold it gently through the cooking apples. This will make the juice thicken immediately so don't cook too long after this optional step.

I love these apples with pork roast and sauerkraut, but they're also a lovely dessert, with a spoonful of plain vanilla yogurt on top. We've been choosing  this French yogurt for treats. The little glass jars are super useful too.

Other apple ideas:

Baked diced apples with chunks of butternut squash, fresh herbs, chopped pecans if you have some.
here  *I don't put the honey, sometimes add dried or fresh cranberries. Herbs like thyme/ tarragon/ caraway/ fennel to taste. [I'm making this tonight/ Friday/ I'll add a couple pics later!]

Tasty and fragrant, cherries not crans and no walnuts. But the pan was too small, and it came out a bit watery. Single layer works best!

Here's an interesting savory baked apple recipe: Sour green apples stuffed with sausage.  HERE Yum? I bought a package of Italian sausage the other day, stuck it in the freezer to try this one. I'll let you know.
And a Trader Joe's find--fragrant Honey Crisp Apple candles. Only 4.oo. Soy, so clean and long burning. One tin makes the entire house smell great, just in case you didn't fel like cooking. I stocked up; they had a Thanksgiving version too, maybe pumpkin spice-vanilla?

Unlike many pugs, Mo has no interest in eating apples. He's a chicken jerky kinda boy.

Apples are abundant in October ~ I hope you'll find some local varieties to try.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

~ October ~

Good morning, friends.

Welcome October, one of the year's finest months.

''October, tuck tiny candy bars in my pockets and carve my smile into a thousand pumpkins.... Merry October! ''

                        ~Rainbow Rowell (b.1973), Attachments, 2011

"October inherits summer's hand-me-downs: the last of the ironweed, its purple silken tatters turning brown, and the tiny starry white asters tumbling untidily on the ground like children rolling with laughter; stiff, drying black-eyed Susans whose dark eyes gleamed from July's roadsides; coneflowers with deep yellow petals surrounding brown pincushion centers from which bumblebees still are sipping honey.  The assignment of yellow is taken up now by thin-leafed wild sunflowers and artichokes."
-   Rachel Peden

"Well, it's a marvelous night for a Moondance
'Neath the cover of October skies
And all the leaves on the trees are falling
To the sound of the breezes that blow

-  Van Morrison, Moondance

love

lizzy

gone to the beach......

sanderlings

gulls

sanderlings

Black skimmers, quite rare/ endangered
the grey ones are the babies

Cheddar Quilt

Hi everyone! This has been a windy and rainy week so my post today is an indoors show and tell.  

zzzzzzzzzzz

Mo is hibernating! So instead I want to show you my favorite antique October quilt.

I love this quilt. I never tire of it, maybe because I only use it between Columbus Day and Halloween? Or because of its classic American antique quilt charm?
It is not a show piece, it's a utilitarian scrap bag quilt, what my quilting friend Lori might term a humble quilt.

It's just 9-patch blocks with a red and natural muslin border [Puss-in-the-corner?],

...set in cheddar solid with muslin cornerstones that match the muslin back.

But I think this unknown quilter had an ''eye'' for color and design. The general scheme is autumn-y, the patches mostly reds, some now faded to tan, and black.

Some of the cornerstones' red has faded, the tan blocks were probably red also.

There's a few pale dull purple squares, some blues that serve as ''white'' and maybe three bright indigo blue nine patches!

Autumn leaves and October sky...

The fabrics are cotton calico, no feedsacks. I would date this quilt perhaps 1880-1910, just guessing.
All sewed by hand and set into this gorgeous solid cheddar.

I love the quilting too. Such texture from a simple Baptist fan motif.

I like the way the fans come from each side, as if it was quilted in a large frame, maybe by the maker's friends at a sewing bee or by church sewing group. Where the fans meet in the center, the quilter[s] simply added a few random lines, determined to secure the somewhat bulky cotton batting.
The back is simple muslin.

 

Turned to the front for a narrow binding, which you can see along the bottom of this block..

I bought this quilt many years ago. My mother spotted it in the window of an antiques shop in Dennis MA, on Cape Cod, as we were meandering along route 6A (Old Kings Highway! The Pilgrims rode and walked these same trails!), enjoying the splendor of Fall on Cape Cod.

google images

 It has been washed, in fact I think my mom washed it before she let it in the house, lol. Otherwise hardly used, perfect condition.
It's one of the few quilts I own [except for flea market rescues] that was not purchased from a dealer, with provenance and history.  (Some too ''good'' to use, like this cutie. )

 

 

 I so wish I knew who made my simple cheddar October quilt, when, where?
All that remains is her talented sewing and good design.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.....

 

 

 

 

 



Mo's Halloween nightmare.

LOL and he looked so peaceful, at the top of this post.