The Apple(s) of My Eye: Pick-Your-Own Apples, and What to Do with Them

Some may say the apple is the token fruit of the United States, as evidenced by the expression, “as American as apple pie.” New York City, one of the first major cities in America, is referred to as “The Big Apple,” and children learn the tales of Johnny Appleseed planting orchards throughout the Midwest.

While “modern” apples are decidedly American, the ancient origins of the fruit are anything but. The wild trees that bear the fruit, known as the Alma, that were eventually domesticated to modern apples are still located in the mountains of Central Asia, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Western China. It has been said that the center of diversity of the apple is in eastern Turkey, and it was possibly one of the first trees to be cultivated. There are more than 7,500 known cultivars of apples, and the differences are based on growing climate as well as purpose. Apple trees can be bred specifically to produce fruit best eaten fresh, for cooking or for producing cider.

The ancient historical significance of the apple is evident in its presence in mythological stories from several origins. In Norse mythology, apples are presented as gifts to the gods to prolong their youth, and in some stories are symbols of fertility. In Greek mythology the apple is usually a symbol of temptation and cunning; one story describes an argument over a golden apple that indirectly causes the Trojan War! And finally, perhaps most notoriously, the story of Adam and Eve embodies both of the previous symbologies of the apple: temptation and immortality, and introduces one more: knowledge.

The arrival of apple season in the U.S. also unofficially marks the beginning of autumn. The crisp, cool air at this time of year is analogous to the first bite of the crunchy, refreshing fruit. Certainly one of the most festive and fun fall activities to check out is to find a local orchard where you can pick your own apples. Not only is this a ton of fun, it’s extra affordable.

My local farm is called Gulick’s Orchard, and pick-your-own apples can go as low as 55 cents per pound. Since you’re doing the work to get the apples off the tree, the farm can’t very well charge you the same amount you would pay in the grocery store! In fact, the more you pick, the less money you will spend per pound! I have also purchased 20-lb. bags of “seconds,” which are picked out and set aside because of their less desirable size, shape or markings, for $8.00, which measures out to about 40 cents per pound. What in the world does one do with 20 lbs. (or more!) of apples from the local orchard? See below for a home made applesauce recipe.

Savings aside, apple picking is an excellent way to spend a Saturday morning or afternoon with friends or loved ones. As Mrs. Gulick likes to say, “When you go apple picking, you’re not just buying fruit, you’re making memories.”

To find the nearest pick-your-own apple orchard (or pears, pumpkins or any other fall food item that you may want to pick), check out www.pickyourown.org.

How to Make Applesauce:

For those of you who are wondering what to do with 20 lbs (or more!) of apples, I say to you: Applesauce. Homemade applesauce from hand-picked apples purchased from a local orchard is the epitome of a self-sufficient home-style treat, in my opinion. You can make this in any quantity you prefer, and by several different methods. I suggest using a few different varieties of apple, because it makes the sauce have a special, interesting flavor.

I like to use a combination of McIntosh (or Liberty, a hybrid similar to McIntosh), Gala, Red Delicious and Yellow Delicious. These may come available for picking at different times, depending on the orchard you patronize. I try to plan my picking accordingly so that I can get at least two types of apples at the same time, then I make separate batches of applesauce and then a final blend of everything.

As usual, I don’t follow a particular recipe, per se. The basic idea is this: get a big bunch of apples—or a small bunch, depending on how ambitious you are—then core and cut them into quarters or eighths, depending on their size. Throw them all into a big stock pot with about 1 inch of water in the bottom.  Squeeze a few tablespoons of lemon juice over the top, and sprinkle with as much cinnamon as you prefer. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the apples are pretty mushy. Then I spoon batches of mushy apple into my food mill and swirl it around until the bowl beneath has accumulated the finished product: applesauce!

If you don’t own a food mill, don’t want to own a food mill or just plain don’t feel like putting in the elbow grease, you can skip this part if you are willing to peel all the apples before simmering them. I tend to think that mashing the cooked apples through the food mill at the end is much easier than peeling a large amount of them beforehand, but if you’re doing a small batch, this method probably wouldn’t be too difficult. After simmering the peeled, cored, chopped apples, throw them into a blender or mash with another utensil for a more rustic end result.

Christine Lynn