Apples and Applesauce

My refrigerator is packed with apples. I prefer Fuji, Pink Lady and whatever else is in the market, as long as the apples are firm textured and the flavor is tart, as opposed to sweet. If you prefer a sweeter apple with a softer texture, check out varieties like Gala and McIntosh. Versatile and tasty, these apples all keep well when refrigerated, a definite plus in the time of the Coronavirus.

The first American orchard was planted in Boston in 1625 by the English preacher William Blaxton. Dutch, German and French immigrants all brought seeds with them, but as Olwen Woodier notes in “Apple Cookbook” (Storey Publishing , $10.95) , the English were the first to bring apple scions (shoots). It’s an important difference. With apples, grafting is the only way to ensure the offspring will be identical to the parent. Think “cloning,” and you’re spot on.

“Every seed in every apple is a new variety,” Thomas Burford writes in “The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink” (Oxford University Press, $49.95) edited by Andrew F. Smith. “… thus the planting of the seeds out of a named variety from abroad in the rich soil of the colonies would produce many different varieties.” Burford says differences between parent and offspring were less important earlier in our history because much of the crop was destined to be made into cider and consumed locally.

Because they packed seeds, rather than scions, hundreds of new varieties were developed as the settlers headed west, each with its own characteristics. Some were good keepers, others- like contemporary Jonathans- bruised easily and had shorter life spans.

With agriculture trending global, the search for apples that shipped and stored well intensified. Apple lovers mourned the loss of older varieties, and some blamed commercial agriculture for their demise. 

Oversized Red Delicious apples were often cited as a case in point. “…glamorous, but usually tasteless,…” authors Frank Browning and Sharon Silva write in “An Apple Harvest” (Ten Speed Press, $17.95). Perhaps… but way back, when the supermarkets offered only a few varieties and my much loved Jonathans were past their prime, I’d opt for a Red Delicious in a heartbeat. At least it had crunch, which was more than I could say for the ever present McIntosh, an apple with a huge fan base that didn’t- and doesn’t- include me. Taste is truly in the palate of the taster.

Red Delicious aside, commercial agriculture was, for the most part, wrongfully accused. As Browning and Silva explain, “Most antique varieties have disappeared for good reason: they were difficult to grow, they were susceptible to disease, they bore poorly, and they didn’t taste good.”

In “Apple Cookbook,” Woodier hypothesizes that the severe winter of 1918 may account for some of the changes. “In starting over,” he writes, “commercial orchard growers followed the recommendations of pomologists and planted an abundance of McIntosh, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, and Rome Beauties.” Add Jonathans and Greening apples (a cooking apple), and it’s the line-up I grew up with.

Happily, certain of the older varieties are both available and delicious, despite their shortcomings. Ashmead Kernel, Baldwin, Cox Orange Pippin, Wealthy, and Roxbury Russet all get a “thumbs up” from Woodier.

Homemade applesauce is a wonderful addition to any meal. The first recipe is as simple as it is delicious,  but the slow cooker version-which has no added sugar- is even better.

Cinnamon Applesauce (traditional preparation)

3 pounds Granny Smith apples; peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch pieces

1 cinnamon stick

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup water

Pinch of coarse salt

Combine all of the above ingredients in a suitably sized pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until apples are very tender, about 30 minutes. (If sauce begins to stick to bottom of pan, add 2 to 3 more tablespoons water.)

Remove from heat and discard cinnamon stick. Stir in 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Mash apples with the back of a spoon for smoother sauce, if desired. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled. (Applesauce will keep in the refrigerator up to one week in an airtight container; cool completely before storing.)

Makes 1 ¾ cups

Adapted from a recipe in “Martha’s American Food” (Clarkson Potter /Publishers, $40) by Martha Stewart.

Slow Cooker Applesauce (my way)

Peel the apples.

Cut the peeled apples into chunks. (I generally use five or six apples, depending on size.)

Put the apples in a slow cooker, cover and cook on high for about 1 1/2-2 hours.  If the slow cooker is large enough, you can add more apples.

When the apples are soft, stir vigorously. I like my applesauce chunky, so-if you prefer pureed applesauce-you can simply cook the apples longer and then puree them until they are the desired consistency.

Note- Made this way, the apples require neither sugar nor seasoning. There’s no denying the resulting carbon footprint, but at this point,  While, as Olwen Woodier notes in “Apple Cookbook” (Storey Publishing , $10.95) , apples are grown commercially in 36 states, most of the production is concentrated in Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, and Virginia.