well, here we are: apple season (one of my favorite seasons). in case you missed it, ian’s post on the tyranny of the red delicious has inspired me to try to do a series reviewing the many varieties of apple that i will undoubtedly be sampling this year.
i get almost all of my apples from devoto gardens, and they surprised me this week by having the first gravensteins of the season. i took them home, and am now enjoying putting them in my face. (i was sad to read that gravensteins are in danger.)
i’d call these mostly tart with a touch of sweet. the texture is crisp, but light. not super dense. lots of flavor, plenty of juice. it is somewhat similar to a granny smith, but it’s not as dense and its flavor is not as strong.
the verdict: PUT THESE IN YOUR FACE.
UPDATE
okay, i just invented something. gravensteins, freshly shelled english peas, bacon, onion, ginger, sherry, and chili peppers. oh, and salt, of course.
i think this might be amazing. sweet from the peas, savory from the bacon, tart from the apples, spicy from the chilis. this is kinda killer.
A new dish.
Excellent. What are the other labels on the rating scale. Is “PUT THESE IN YOUR FACE” the top rating?
not sure. i was thinking of keeping it simple. “PUT THESE IN YOUR FACE” or “DON’T PUT THESE IN YOUR FACE.” maybe i could have a “PUT THESE IN A PIE” for apples that are good for cooking but not for eating fresh (although i usually like eating those apples, too).
I look forward to reading what you have to say about apples. I like them cooked: roasted and stuffed with walnuts, sage and dried cranberries, caramelized with orange rind and served over pancakes or stuffed into pies. But raw, they tend to veer toward the tart and I don’t like things that make me purse my lips (it’s particularly unattractive on me). Love the crunch of them but I’d take an Asian Pear over most apples any day.
Teach me the ways of the apple and I will listen and try not to fall asleep.
a) pears are the most overrated fruit since bananas.
b) i added a dish with cooked apples just for you!
This is an awesome first post in what promises to be a hopeful and delicious series. Gravensteins aren’t my favorite, but that’s predictable. I love to read about food though so good job, big brother. Keep em comin! 🙂
m
how was that bacon dish?
tasty! you would have liked it.