Christopher Roberts talks about apple varieties at Fairmount Orchard.
Apples at Fairmount Orchard, from left: Ginger Gold, Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Shizuka, Jonagold, Mutsu.Aunt Mary’s Cranberry Relish1 pound fresh cranberries1 orange1 lemon1 cup pecans1 Cortland apple1 1/2 cups sugarRinse cranberries in water. Zest the lemon and orange; chop cranberries and zest in food processor. Place in bowl. Squeeze in the juice of the lemon and the orange. Peel the apple and dice. Add nuts and sugar. Stir all together. Let sit on the counter overnight or at least 5 hours, stirring occasionally. Place in jars or containers and keep refrigerated. Sugar can be reduced or or substituted if necessary.- Martha EllisCortland Apple Pie Filling3 Cortland apples (can be substituted with Rome apples)1 Granny Smith apple1/2 cup sugar1/4 cup flour1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon Apple Pie SpicePinch of saltYour favorite pie crust recipe or frozen crustPeel, core and slice apples. Add all other ingredients and stir together. Add about 1/8 cup water if apples are very dry. Place pie crust in baking pan. Pour apple mixture in and mound up. Place top crust over, fluting or rolling edges. Cut holes to vent. Bake at 350 degrees about 50 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.- Martha EllisSweet & Savory Potato Bake3-4 medium sweet potatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick3-4 medium to large firm apples, cored, sliced 1/4-inch thick1 medium onion, thinly sliced3/4cup apple juice or apple cider2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey1 tablespoon melted butter1/2 teaspoon kosher salt1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)2 tablespoons chopped basil and lemon thyme (optional)Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a greased 9-by-13 baking dish, place overlapping slices of potatoes, apples and onions, alternating each. Whisk together the liquids, sugar/honey, butter and seasonings. Drizzle over the entire surface. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Veggies should be fork-tender when done. Uncover for the last 5-10 minutes of baking, but watch that it does not dry out too much. It should be moist but not soggy.For some variation, use parsnips, rutabaga, butternut squash, pears or add chopped pecans or walnuts during the last 5-10 minutes of baking.- Pat Stewart
Apple bread and apple cider are made with apples from Fairmount Orchard.An apple a day keeps … well … you know what they say.
But do apples truly have the medically miraculous properties touted in the familiar platitude?
Not quite. They’re not a cure-all for everything, but they still offer plenty of health benefits.
The U.S. Apple Association – which you would certainly expect to highlight any and all things good about the fruit – notes that research from around the world, including America, Britain and Finland, has linked apples and apple products to helping prevent certain types of cancer (the peels contain cancer-fighting antioxidants), lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke (the fruit’s phytochemicals reduce low-density lipoproteins, or “bad” cholesterol, in the blood) and lessening some asthma symptoms (they reduce the lung inflammation that causes asthma attacks).