300 Ways to Eat Apples
Before Jobs and Wozniak, apples were known for growing on trees rather than revolutionizing technology. This week we consider the older tradition.
This Saturday, October 27, Whole Foods Annapolis celebrates Apple Fest Family Fun Day, a harvest festival with events and food demonstrations for young and old. Visit between 11am and 3pm to meet orchardist Stephen Balderston of Colora Orchards in northern Maryland. His fifth-generation, 100-acre apple farm grows up to 10 varieties. In store, choose from McIntosh, Crispin, Red Delicious and Stayman.
“With over 300 local products in our Annapolis store, this is an important time for us to highlight our local apple orchard suppliers,” says Mia Staton, Whole Foods marketing team leader. “We know our local vendors personally, and we want our customers to as well.”
You’ll find apple recipes, samples and demonstrations throughout the store. Most are free, and the first 200 customers get a free pie tin, perfect to use in the delicious Pumpkin Apple Pie recipe below.
Roam the store and check out Jewish apple cake, apple caramel cake, applesauce demonstration, apple crusted lemon thyme trout, apple spiced chicken breakfast sausage, grilled cheese smoked very lightly with apple wood, sautéed kale and apples, roasted squash and apples, sliced apples with peanut butter and yoga apple chips, apple cider and apple scented soap.
Kids (age five and up) can carve apples for print making and make their own caramel apple ($5).
Use your farm-fresh apples in this best-of-two-worlds autumnal pie recipe.
Pumpkin Apple Pie
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/3 cup water
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Granny Smith or Fuji apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 egg
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 nine-inch unbaked pie shell (in pie pan)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put brown sugar, cornstarch, 1⁄2 tsp. cinnamon, 1⁄4 tsp. salt, water and butter into a medium pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, to a boil. Add apples and cook, tossing to coat in sugar mixture, 3 to 4 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together egg, granulated sugar, pumpkin, remaining 1⁄4 tsp. salt, remaining 1⁄2 tsp. cinnamon, cloves, ginger and milk until well combined.
Pour apple mixture into pie shell and spoon pumpkin mixture evenly over the top. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375 and bake until filling is just set in the middle, about 40 minutes more. Set aside on a wire rack to let cool completely before cutting into slices.
Deal of the Week
Jimmy John’s two Annapolis sandwich shops celebrate Customer Appreciation Day Thursday, October 25. From 11am and 3pm, the Main Street and Annapolis Towne Center locations sell their delicious sandwiches for $1.00
When you get yours, say you read about it in Bay Weekly.
Grand Opening
The great reveal of the new Wegmans in Gambrills comes Sunday, October 28. Doors open at 7am. Come rested; you’ll need your strength to ambulate the 125,000-square-foot mega-market.
Got a tasty tip for next week’s Dish? Email Lisa Knoll at [email protected].