[NAFEX] Ultimate Cooking Apple

Naomi dragon-star at cableone.net
Mon Mar 1 00:32:42 EST 2004


I tend to flavor my apple pie with a touch of oil of anise rather than the
cinnamon nutmeg combination.  I also may use a bit of lemon rind not the
juice.  I once made what I thought was an exceptional pear pie that used the
anise-lemon combination.

Peach pies get a touch of almond extract.  Cherry pies also get the almond
treatment.  Plum pies get orange rind. apricot is so highly flavored that I
tend to let it go as is.
Naomi
  -----Original Message-----
  From: nafex-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org]On Behalf Of list at ginda.us
  Sent: Sunday, February 29, 2004 9:58 PM
  To: North American Fruit Explorers
  Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Ultimate Cooking Apple


  Caville Blanc has a really different flavor from most cooked apples - it
is the characteristic flavor of
  French apple tarts, if you've had these. I like it a lot, although it is
not my favorite cooking apple. It makes a really fine pie. My favorite apple
for pie is the Jonathan. When fresh, if holds its shape well when cooked,
and has a rich and wonderful flavor. I always add lots of lemon juice to my
pies, so I am looking for aromatics and sweetness, not sour. I find some
other old-standards, like Northern Spy to be less interesting. Honeycrisp is
also a less-than-exciting pie apple. I want to try Bramley, but haven't had
enough of it to cook any.

  The Newton Pippins I have had may have been old, but they cooked to be too
mushy for pie, and not terribly interesting as sauce. Mac is mushy, be makes
a very tasty sauce. It is better for sauce than most of the "mac-like
apples, such as Macoun or Cortland, but Liberty makes a great sauce,
especially if fully ripe and fresh-picked.



  On Feb 29, 2004, at 10:39 AM, Naomi wrote:


    I once made baked apples from Caville Blanc.  They were absolutely
outstanding.  I have not yet had enough for pie.  So far my family's
favorite pie was a Johnagold though the grimes pie was excellent also.
Golden Noble makes great sauce but I wouldn't bother to pie it since it goes
to mush.
    Naomi
    in Idaho
    -----Original Message-----
    From: nafex-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org]On Behalf Of Three Hills Farm
    Sent: Sunday, February 29, 2004 8:24 AM
    To: nafex at lists.ibiblio.org
    Subject: [NAFEX] Ultimate Cooking Apple

    I've not cooked with many apples aside from the typical Granny Smith or
Northern Spy.  A friend of mine recently asked me what was considered to be
the quintessential pie apple these days, and whether there were better
options out there aside from the Granny Smith he's been using.  I can't
offer much firsthand experience as of yet, so I thought I'd post the
question on NAFEX to hear what others think.

    My recommendations to him---based only on what I've read---were to track
down some Bramley's Seedling or Newtown Pippin.  I've heard people rave
about Duchess of Oldenburg and Edward VII as well for pies.   An
acquaintance of mine in the UK also mentioned a British apple called Winston
(Winter King) which seems to have a pretty loyal following over there.
What other great cooking apples should be in everyone's home orchard?

    * * * * *

    John A Gasbarre
    Three Hills Farm
    Union, Maine  USA
    http://www.threehillsfarm.com/apples.html
    44° 15' 47" N / 69° 18' 42" W
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