Now that we're past peak zucchini and tomatoes here at Struan Farm I'm preparing for the avalanche of apples. As previously reported, all eight apples trees we've planted in the new and old orchard areas are bearing fruit this year to varying degrees. I've picked the "Initial," "Liberty" and "Akane" eating apples, which we've eaten and distributed to guests.
Granny Smith and Peasgood Nonsuch come next. I'm hoping I've done this properly, that my staggered approach to early and later varieties actually works as advertised. John has been picking Peasgoods off the tree for about two weeks, munching away, but they haven't been ripe until now. In case you don't know how to tell if an apple is ripe, it's when the seeds inside are brown/black. I've jumped into using them before the rosellas (pesty Australian parrots) gain the upper hand with this year's crop. I don't mind sharing a wee bit but I do mind when the tree gets stripped. Peasgood is versatile, both an eating and cooking apple.
A few days ago I messed around in the kitchen and out popped "Karen's Peasgood Pie." It's a complete improv, with guidance on cooking time and oven temp from that old hand Martha Stewart. My default pastry recipe is her "pate brisee" recipe from "Pies & Tarts." A few different types of raisins and chopped walnuts were tossed in with peeled and sliced apples, lemon zest, sugar, mixed spice and dotted butter. Struan Farm muesli was sprinkled on top. Hopefully it tastes as good as it looks when warm from the oven with a touch of vanilla ice cream. Not sure much can go wrong here, since vanilla ice cream covers a lot of sins.
I will tackle apple crumbles and apple sauce for the freezer as the rest of the apple bounty lands. I just wasn't ready for that yet after my recent tomato marathon. A pause was required as gears are shifted.
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