The other day I was talking with a friend, trying to come up with easy recommendations for increasing his daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Like many, if not most, people, he is challenged to meet the recommended daily allowances of fruits and vegetables (essentially 4 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables a day for the average adult). So I thought I’d start with an easy one, especially considering the season. “Why not add an apple a day to your diet?” I asked. His response stunned me: “I don’t like apples.” I was speechless. What? Really? Who doesn’t like apples? So I talked with him about the plethora of delicious varieties available today and he agreed that he would try some new ones.  A few weeks later, I was telling this story to another friend and she responded, “Yeah, I get that. I didn’t like apples until a year or two ago.” This friend made me realize that, to many, an apple meant one of those red, somewhat mealy fruits that we used to eat in our youth. The ones that, when sliced, the skin would bleed into the white flesh of the apple. The ones with little to no taste. The ones I didn’t like.

I have been taking our amazing array of Washington-grown apples for granted. I didn’t realize that many people might not be aware of the tangy crunch of the Honey Crisp or the tart yet sweet bite of the Braeburn. And I myself get confused and overwhelmed by the incredible selection of apples piled high at farmer’s markets and grocery stores. So I can understand that people might just go with what they know – which might be standard “Delicious” variety. And I really don’t want to disparage this brand as it might do the trick for many. I’m only hoping to expand the horizons of those looking for more flavor, more crunch. Just more.

Considering I rarely remember which apples are best for what purpose, I wanted to feature a few links that summarize which are most appropriate for baking, canning and just plain eating. The Washington Apple Commission has a great usage chart that summarizes some of the most popular varieties. Tiny’s Organics, one of my favorite apple vendors at the Ballard Farmer’s Market, features detailed information on their apples including when they are harvested and available. The friendly guy at Tiny’s stand even told me the other day that they are working on a new variety called the Jolly Rancher that will taste of watermelon. Just imagine!

The “apple a day keeps the doctor away” adage isn’t just an old proverb. Apples are packed with fiber and phytonutrients that have been found in studies to lower blood cholesterol and may be associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes and some cancers. And they can be easily added to a daily diet. Because apples are so readily available during the winter, I find myself substituting them in salads for tomatoes and peppers which are not grown locally this time of the year. And a favorite snack is a Braeburn sliced and paired with locally made Marilyn’s Nut Butter – the “Pistachio with Fennel” variety is blissfully savory concoction that only serves to heighten the sweetness of the fruit. With apples, there exists an indefinite array of tastes and textures and applications and I’ve included a few of my favorites below.

Finally, I am happy to report that my friend with the apple aversion is today a new man. He is happily eating an apple a day. Hurray!

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Fresh Apple Cake

Growing up, we were lucky enough to have an apple tree in our front yard. Mom would make this cake throughout the harvest. I remember sneaking into the drawer were it was kept, protected by tin foil, and trying to carve out a hunk without anyone being the wiser. More recently, dad has become quite the baker and whips this one up for birthdays and family celebrations. I’ve substituted some whole wheat flour for some of the all purpose flour. Which makes me feel a bit better when I slather the cake with Butter Rum Sauce. I’m including the recipe for this sinfully decadent delight after the cake recipe. And please know that the apple cake is definitely tasty enough to stand on its own. However from time to time, a girl’s gotta indulge.

Ingredients

• 6 cups apples (approximately 5 large apples – I like Braeburn)
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½  teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon mixed with 1 tablespoon white sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare apples by peeling, coring and chopping in a ¼ inch dice. In a large bowl combine eggs, sugars, vanilla and oil.  Fold in apples.

In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.  Mix into apple mixture.  Fold in the walnuts.  The batter will be very thick.

Pour into a lightly oiled and floured 9×13″ baking pan.  Pat out evenly.  Mix cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle over the top.  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.  Serve alone or with Butter Rum Sauce (recipe below) and ice cream of a decadent treat.

Note – this cake freezes exceptionally well.

Butter Rum Sauce   

Ingredients

• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup butter
• ¼ cup cream
• 2 tablespoon rum or 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Bring butter and brown sugar to a low boil.  Mix in cream and rum or vanilla and remove from heat.  Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator and reheat in microwave before serving.

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Baked Apples with Cherries & Almonds

The following is loosely based on a recipe I found from the Mayo Clinic – which means it is packed full of healthy ingredients. Use a good baking apple like a Granny Smith or Jonagold. It’s a delicious light dessert or can be paired nicely alongside roasted pork.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped almonds
• 1 tablespoon wheat germ
• 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 6 small apples
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 2 tablespoons honey

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, toss together the cherries, almonds, wheat germ, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Set aside.

The apples can be peeled or left unpeeled. I find that leaving the peel on helps maintain the shape. Working from the stem end, core each apple, stopping about 3/4 inch from the bottom. Check to ensure all seeds have been removed.

Divide the cherry mixture evenly among the apples, pressing the mixture gently into each cavity. Arrange the apples upright in a heavy ovenproof frying pan or small baking dish just large enough to hold them. Pour the apple juice and water into the pan. Drizzle the honey evenly over the apples and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the apples are tender when pierced with a knife, approximately 50 minutes.

Transfer the apples to individual plates and drizzle with the pan juices. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This is how I spent my afternoon the other day – and, in my mind, it’s as close to heaven as you can get. (Which is not to say this is a typical day in my kitchen – fresh Meyer lemons and dried figs are not always on hand. But when they are – well, you know where to find me.) Fortunately, I returned home from a recent trip to California with a bounty. My father has a fig tree right outside the back door and he lovingly dried a few batches of beautiful Mission figs just for me (this from a man who doesn’t even like figs). And the neighbors have a Meyer lemon tree that I can’t help but pillage every time I’m down there.

Now, I know it may seem unfair that our neighbors to the south enjoy the benefits of edible gem-producing fruit trees year round. However, local markets offer an increasingly wide selection of produce – and the following recipes are miraculous enough to make it worth the extra effort. From the fruit trees of my childhood hometown, without further ado, I give you Meyer Lemon Marmalade & Balsamic Fig Preserves with Rosemary. (For those who, like me, view jarring as a potentially overwhelming endeavor – please see end note for the wary.

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Meyer Lemon Marmalade

Ingredient note – while Meyer lemons are not grown in Washington State, they are currently in season and can be found in any number of markets around town (among them, Metropolitan Markets & Apple Markets). This recipe should only be used with that specific type of lemon – the skin of a Meyer is especially thin, making for a perfect marmalade.

Based on a December 1999 Gourmet magazine recipe.

Yield: Makes 12 (4 ounce) jars

Ingredients:

• 6 Meyer lemons (approximately 1 1/2 pounds)
• 4 cups water
• 3 1/2 cups sugar

Special equipment:

• Cheesecloth
• Candy thermometer
• 12 (4 ounce) Mason-type jars, sterilized
• Canning pot, funnel and jar lifter

Preparation:

Halve lemons crosswise and remove seeds. Tie seeds in a cheesecloth bag. Quarter each lemon half and thinly slice. Combine with bag of seeds and water in a 5-quart nonreactive heavy pot and let mixture stand, covered, at room temperature 24 hours. (The seeds release a natural pectin that will help set the marmalade).

Remove bag of seeds. Bring lemon mixture to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 4 cups, about 45 minutes. Stir in sugar and boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally and skimming off any foam, until it reaches 220 on the thermometer.

Ladle hot marmalade into prepared jars (see below for prep tips), filling to within 1/4 inch of top. Wipe rims with dampened cloth and seal jars with lids. Put jars in a water-bath canner or on a rack set in a deep pot. Add enough hot water to cover jars by 1 inch and bring to a boil. Boil jars, covered, 5 minutes and transfer with tongs to a rack. Cool jars completely.

*You may find that the resulting mixture is quite liquid when you’re putting into the jars. It will thicken as it cools, and be ready for your toast in the morning.

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Fig Preserves with Balsamic Vinegar and Fresh Rosemary

Ingredient note – Dried mission figs can also be found in several markets around town.

Serving note – these preserves pair extraordinarily well with goat and blue cheese and, my favorite, a good Spanish Manchego.

Based on a combination of several fig jam recipes.

Yield: Makes 12 (4 ounce) jars

Ingredients

• 4 cups finely chopped figs (~3 cups dried – reconstituted in lukewarm water for a few hours)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice plus zest of one lemon
• 1/3 cup good quality balsamic vinegar
• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Special equipment:

• 12 (4 ounce) Mason-type jars, sterilized
• Canning pot, funnel and jar lifter

Preparation:

Add the figs, lemon juice, vinegar, and rosemary to a large pot. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Stir in the sugar.

Bring the mixture to a full boil. If the mixture isn’t liquid at all when you turn on the heat, you can add a few tablespoons of the water used to reconstitute the figs – or just plain water. You will want a fairly thick consistency before cooking. Turn the heat down and continue to gently boil until thickened. (I boiled it for about 25 minutes).

Ladle into prepared jars (see below for prep tips). Put jars in a water-bath canner or on a rack set in a deep pot. Add enough hot water to cover jars by 1 inch and bring to a boil. Boil jars, covered, 5 minutes and transfer with tongs to a rack. Cool jars completely.

Jar Preparation:

Wash jars and rinse in very hot water. Put jars in a water-bath canner or on a rack set in a deep pot and cover with hot water.

Bring water to a boil and boil jars, covered, 15 minutes from time steam emerges from pot. Turn off heat and let jars stand in hot water.

Just before filling them, invert jars onto a kitchen towel to dry. (Jars should be filled while still hot.)

Sterilize lids in boiling water 5 minutes.

Closing Word for the Wary - While even the mere mention of ‘canning’ is enough to make novice cooks run for the Smucker’s jar, it is not as arduous as rumor would have you believe. These recipes were the subjects of my First Official Canning – and resulted in a success by any standards. And too, they make excellent gifts – which is nothing to turn your nose up at either.

Julie Andrews is welcome to her raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens… I’ll take roasted garlic and a good balsamic reduction any day.

The unvarnished, fresh-from-the-vine truth? As you may have already guessed, I am head over heels for fresh produce – AKA ‘plants’. But this wasn’t always the case. For much of my life, I subsisted on a typical ‘Western diet’ – meaning all manner of foods processed and refined. Happily, a while back I began approaching my daily sustenance with a lot more attention paid to health and well-being. Fast forward to today – Sunday strolls through the farmer’s market are an essential weekend highlight (highly recommended – enjoy rows upon rows of vibrant produce, and informative chats with friendly local farmers). The ‘Western-diet-me’ wouldn’t believe what I now consider kitchen staples – it’s enough to make her head spin.

Fruits and vegetables are now at center stage – the star performers of my diet. On their own, many can be amazingly delicious. But if you’re a little wary of embracing them ‘au natural’, here are a few tricks that I use to add quick, healthy hits of flavor to just about anything.

Balsamic Vinegar Reduction – Pour a large bottle of Balsamic vinegar (Costo Balsamic was made for this) into a sauce pan and heat over medium high, bringing to a low boil. Next, reduce heat to medium and simmer for about half an hour – until it reduces to approximately 1/3 its volume. Keep an eye on it – it can thicken quickly towards the end of the cooking time. (Think molasses thick. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.) Once you’ve reached the desired consistency – you’ll want it just thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon – take it off the heat and allow it to cool. Use a funnel to pour the reduction into a kitchen squeeze bottle. Refrigerate.

**I keep a squeeze bottle of this rich, syrupy ‘nectar of the gods’ on hand at all times. Pairs marvelously with roasted meats and every vegetable I’ve ever poured it on.

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Fresh Ginger – Use a microplane zester to grate it over steamed or sautéed veggies. (No peeling necessary.)

**Little muss, no fuss and plenty of flavor. I always keep some of this knobby yellow root on hand – fresh, and with a couple extra in the freezer for emergencies. (In a freezer-safe bag. I know I’ve said it already, but freezer burn just destroys great flavor.)

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Fresh Citrus – Grate fresh lemon or orange zest directly over sautéed chard or spinach. Substitute fresh lime or grapefruit juice for vinegar to lighten up homemade salad dressings.

**Don’t be afraid to try any kind of citrus. Even consider slicing kumquats into salads. A little dash of these tarty-sweet gems can brighten up even the darkest days of winter.

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Roasted Garlic – Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel off the outer layers of the entire garlic bulb – leaving the cloves intact. I like to use Elephant garlic – much more volume and a bit easier to handle. Cut off about 1/4 inch from the top of the cloves. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle each bulb with a few teaspoons of olive oil. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 45 minutes – removing the foil after 20 minutes. The cloves will be ready when they are soft when pressed. You can use them immediately – or squeeze out individual cloves, blend up and place a dollop of the mixture into handy little compartments of ice cube trays and freeze. (If you choose to freeze, remove from trays when frozen and store in a freezer-safe bag.)

**A simply amazing addition to mashed potatoes, soups and sauces.

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Basil & Garlic Cubes – Blend a large bunch of chopped fresh basil with 1/2 cup olive oil and 2-3 cloves of garlic. Pour into an ice cube tray to freeze. Once frozen, save individual cubes in a freezer-safe bag.

**Throw unfrosted cubes into warm sauces or soups. Or defrost and drizzle directly over vegetables.

DCUMEN6MRFCZ

From the French, the concept of ‘mise en place’ is now a well-respected practice in kitchens around the world – the preparation of all the necessary ingredients before settling in to the task of creating a meal. It is the washing, chopping, measuring and arranging. Not just a practice for the culinary elite, mise en place is equally useful in the home kitchen – what it requires in time, it more than makes up for in the process. Perfectly sautéed onions wait for no cook.

During the last few months I have been knee-deep in such prep work, preparing to launch my new professional venture, Foodwise Northwest – and by extension, this blog. It has been mise en place practiced on a grand scale – sometimes intimidating, most often inspiring.

Whether you’re a fellow Pacific Northwest’er, or a home cook on the other side of the globe – my hope with this blog is to inspire you to step outside of your comfort zone. (Think, ‘Adieu bagged baby carrots, bonjour Delicata squash!’) To demystify the art of creating fresh, flavorful meals with local, seasonal ingredients. To share my philosophy and experiences – from farmer’s market to kitchen table. And ultimately, to create a community – to unearth new favorite recipes, secrets to success, your own ‘mise en place’ practices.

In his bestselling book, In Defense of Food, author Michael Pollan offers this sage dietary advice, ‘Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.’ It seems deceptively simple – surely there has to be more to it than that, right? Given my interest in home cooking – and its undeniable relationship with an enjoyable quality of life – it will come as little surprise that I not only agree, but have adopted Pollan’s maxim as a guide in my own efforts.  At this point, you may have reread ‘mostly plants’ with eyebrows raised. Don’t worry, I can assure you that there is still room in the grocery basket for sourdough bread and dark chocolate – it’s just that they’re nestled in there among rainbow kale, brussel sprouts and asian pears.

So welcome, fellow foodie. I hope you’ll join me in this new adventure, because I can’t wait to share it with you.

Now… À la cuisine!