Early signs of autumn are showing. Ironweed and Joe Pye weed blooming along the road. Cooler nights. A few leaves beginning to turn. And . . . apples! Oh, such an abundance of apples.
We’re blessed with a neighbor who has five apple trees all burdened with fruit this year. My favorite are the sweet/tart green apples that I’ve already been eating for more than a week. Next are the lovely, speckled rusty red apples perfect for applesauce and pies.
What kind are they? I call them Shopestone apples, named for a nearby creek and the neighbor who lets me pick all I want.
There are few things more pleasing than picking apples late in the afternoon and then eating warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream that evening.
If you want to test that theory yourself, here’s the recipe my friend Marilyn gave me written in her own shorthand style.
Marilyn’s Apple Crumb Pie – “The Family Recipe”
Crust: Pillsbury, red box, dairy aisle. Use single crust–put in pie plate, trim, flute.
Filling: Apples–cut, pared, sliced (Granny Smith is the best)
Sprinkle: 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp. cinnamon
Topping: 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup flour, 1/3 cup butter
Bake: 400 degrees F–40 minutes (sometimes longer)
I find that 5 large, grocery store apples fill the crust. Smaller, homegrown varieties may take 6 or 7. And you’d be remiss if you didn’t serve this warm with vanilla ice cream.
The deer have been feasting on our fallen apples. We need to start picking! I have a wonderful apple custard pie recipe. Labor intensive, yet oh so delicious!
That sounds good! I’ve done a peach custard that’s pretty amazing, but not apple.