Take a peek at our final CSA newsletter of 2011.  Rob will fill you in with his latest pie-off results and his new favorite pastime: Pie Fairy-ing!  Eliza and JP contributed delicious recipes along with two of our CSA members.  Read a little about Super Chilly Farm and lastly, enjoy these keeper apples and feel free to tell us how you liked them.

Out on a Limb Apple CSA Newsletter

Wednesday, November 10^th

Ashmead’s Kernel

Possibly a seedling of Nonpareil. Gloucester, England, about 1700. One of the English apples that has been planted recently in New England small commercial plantings. Refined buttery flavor, though a somewhat dry texture. It’s easy to tell why the apple is held in high regards. Recommended as a dessert (fresh eating) fruit. Very good now but may improve over the next several weeks. Also being used in single variety hard ciders and cider blends. From Scott Farm in Vermont.

Golden Russet

Probably originated in the eastern US before 1800. Unfortunately most old-timers referred to the many russeted varieties simply as “Russet”. Consequently many unique apples have been confused, mixed up and lumped into one “variety”. In fact there are many russets of many sizes, shapes, seasons and qualities. Golden Russet is probably the most confused of them all. Dense, sharp, almost effervescent. Very old and recommended for dessert, cider and winter storage. From the Apple Farm, grown using IPM (integrated pest management).

Haralson

Thought to be a Malinda seedling or perhaps Malinda x Ben Davis. Originally crossed by Seth Kelly of Morristown MN, developed by the University of Minnesota in Excelsior, selected in 1913, tested as Minn. 90, and finally named and introduced in 1923. An all purpose apple that will keep all winter, Haralson is as famous in Minnesota as Macs are in Maine. The apple was also the first major release by the University there; the most recent being Honeycrisp. Low acidity with hints of bubblegum, melts like candy in your mouth. From Sandy River Orchards, grown conventionally.

Idared

Jonathan x Wagener. Idaho Experiment Station, 1942. A fairly recent cross between two classic American heirloom varieties. It’s hardy enough to be grown in small quantities in many commercial Maine orchards. Recommended for fresh eating, as well as in pies and sauce. Vibrantly red and contains a mild tartness. Of good quality now but will also keep very well in the root cellar until late spring. From the Apple Farm, grown using IPM (integrated pest management).

Jonagold

NY 43013-1 (Golden Delicious x Jonathan) New York Station, 1968. Another Jonathan cross. Both Jonathan and Golden Delicious show up frequently in modern American apple breeding. This may be because of relative availability of seed. It may also be because of the higher percentage of decent seedlings you get from either parent. Jonagold is an all-purpose variety occasionally grown commercially in central and southern Maine. Its summery, soft flavor is very pleasant and refreshing. Recommended for fresh eating and for sauce. Stores only until December. From the Apple Farm, grown using IPM (integrated pest management).

Northern Spy

Chance seedling. East Bloomfield, NY, about 1800. An all-purpose variety. It is Lauren’s nana’s favorite apple of all time. Well-balanced, crisp and juicy with the ideal apple taste. One of the most famous of all American apples, we recommend it for dessert, sauce, and pies. There has been much speculation as to the origin of the odd name. One is that it was named after a hard core (no pun intended) abolitionist who spent his time tracking down slave catchers in the pre-Civil War days and doing them in. His nickname was “the Northern Spy.” From the Apple Farm, grown using IPM (integrated pest management).

Wickson

Esopus Spitzenburg x Newtown Pippin. Albert Etter introduction. Humboldt County, CA, 1944. Introduced by the unsung and generally unknown Albert Etter, one of the great 20th century plant breeders. His Fairfax strawberry is legendary, usually considered to be the best-flavored strawberry and one of the parents of the beloved Sparkle. Recommended for dessert, juice, and as a “sharp” acid source in fermented cider. It has a scrumptious, bold flavor that is way bigger than its size. From Scott Farm in Vermont.

Thank you to all who have submitted recipes! This week’s recipes:

Jewish Apple Cake, submitted and adapted by Elizabeth Patten. We have yet to feature an apple cake recipe, and this one sounds perfect.

Batter ingredients: 1 ½ cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

¾ cup sugar

½ tsp salt

2 eggs

½ cups safflower, canola, or other veggie oil

1/3 cup orange juice or apple cider

2 tsp vanilla

Filling/topping: 4-5 small apples

chopped candied ginger pieces (optional)

½ cup nuts (optional)

brown sugar

cinnamon

dash nutmeg

butter

Directions: For the cake batter, combine dry ingredients. Mix together wet ingredients. Add wet to dry and mix just until smooth.

For filling/topping: Blend to preferred consistency/sweetness. Divide batter, and pour half into greased pan. Cover with a layer of filling. Cover with remaining batter and finish with layer of topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 ½ hours.

Other options: you can add plumped raisins, apricots,

or cranberries to topping, and use reserved water

(if you plump fruit) for batter.

Apple Tort with Breadcrumb Hazelnut Crust, originally from Bon Appetit magazine, submitted by Sharon Kitchens. This crust sounds phenomenal!

Filling ingredients: 2 lbs Granny Smiths (or other tart apples), peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch wedges 1/3 cup sugar 1 cup hard apple cider or dry white wine Crust ingredients: 8 cups fresh breadcrumbs made from crust-less Italian or French bread (finely ground in processor) 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked 10 Tbsp sugar, divided 4 tsp finely grated lemon peel ¼ tsp (generous) salt ¾ cup whole milk 6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces Powdered sugar (for dusting) Whipped cream Filling directions: Arrange apples in even layer in heavy large skillet. Sprinkle with sugar, then pour apple cider over. Cover and cook over medium heat until apples are tender, gently turning apples occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover; cook until juices evaporate, frequently but carefully turning apples to keep wedges intact, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let apples cool completely in skillet. Do this ahead! Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to bowl. Cover; chill. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread breadcrumbs on large rimmed baking sheet. (NOTE: The 8 cups of fresh breadcrumbs will bake down to about 3 cups.) Bake until dried and light golden, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool. Finely grind hazelnuts and 6 tablespoons sugar in processor. Add 3 cups breadcrumbs; process 5 seconds. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Stir in 4 tablespoons sugar, lemon peel, and salt. Combine milk and butter in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat just until butter melts. Pour milk-butter mixture over breadcrumb mixture; stir until moistened (dough will be sticky). Let dough rest in bowl until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Transfer 1 cup dough to floured work surface. Gather into ball; flatten into disk. Press out to 9-inch round; wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour for top crust. Transfer remaining dough to work surface. Gather into ball; flatten into disk. Press disk onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, pushing crust up to extend 1/2 inch above sides. Cover; chill at least 1 hour. Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.Preheat oven to 375°F. Fill crust with apple mixture. Place top crust over filling. Fold bottom crust overhang up over top crust edges, pressing together to seal. Bake torte until crust is deep golden and crust begins to separate from sides of pan (top crust may crack), about 1 hour. Cool in pan on rack at least 2 hours. Carefully remove sides from tart pan. Transfer to platter. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into wedges. Serve with whipped cream.

Apple Cranberry Crisp, courtesy of Jane Benson. Apples and cranberries are always a delightful combination!

Ingredients:

4 medium apples—cored, peeled, diced or sliced thinly (about 4 cups)

2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)

½ cup white or raw sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 1/3 cup quick-cooking oats (not instant)

6 Tbsp unsalted butter melted

½ cup chopped walnuts

1-2 tsp cinnamon

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix apples, cranberries, white sugar in large casserole.

Combine oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, walnuts, melted butter to form crumbly topping. Spread evenly over fruit and bake 1 hour until bubbly and lightly browned. Eat for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner until gone!

If you have any recipes or tips you’d like to share, please email or comment on our blog at http://outonalimbcsa.wordpress.com/

“Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is.”

–Mark Twain

Out on a Limb CSA

167 Turner Mill Pond Rd.

Palermo, ME 04354

outonalimbcsa@gmail.com

Out on a Limb Apple CSA Newsletter

Wednesday, October 27^th

A Call for Recipes!

If you have a great recipe you would like to share, please let us know so we can include it in the next delivery’s newsletter, which will be the last. Also, if you have found a recipe that is particularly well-suited for an apple we’ve offered, we’d love to hear about it. Since many of these varieties are not widely cultivated, knowing which apple goes well with what dish comes only from familiarizing ourselves with the different qualities of apples and experimenting as much as we can. This is about exploring the possibilities and utilizing our collective knowledge.

If you have any successes to share, please email us at outonalimbcsa@gmail.com or comment on our blog at outonalimbcsa.wordpress.com

This week’s apples:

Rome Beauty

Possibly an open-pollinated seedling of Westfield Seek-No-Further. H.N. Gillett introduction, Proctorville (then part of Rome township), Lawrence County, Ohio about 1830. Also called simply “Rome”. One of the most famous American apples. In 1816, Joel Gillett found an odd tree in a shipment from Putnam Nursery. He gave it to his son Alanson, saying, “Here’s a Democrat. You may have this one.” His son planted the tree on the banks of the Ohio River, where several years later it began to produce. His cousin, Horatio Nelson Gillett took cuttings and started a nursery to promote the apple. Originally known as “Gillett’s Seedling,” it was renamed the “Rome Beauty” in 1832 in honor of the township. Until fairly recently, when most people stopped doing much cooking, Rome was one of the standard cooking apples you could find in the grocery store. It was known as “Queen of the Baking Apples” and the “Baker’s Buddy”. We recommend it for pies and for baked apples, but not as a dessert fruit. It is dense and as labor intensive as chewing gum. It develops its flavor with cooking. It also keeps very well. Grown conventionally at Sandy River Orchard.

Brock

ME 7-492 (McIntosh x Golden Delicious) Maine Agricultural Experiment Station. Monmouth, ME, 1966. Bred in 1934 by Russell “Russ” Bailey, renowned plant breeder of the University of Maine. One of two modern crosses we are offering this week. Both Brock and Spencer have the exact same parentage but are very different apples. You can cross the same two varieties a thousand times, and every resulting tree and fruit will be unique. The original thought was to promote Brock for the sauce industry in part due to its small core and Mac heritage. It has instead become a cult dessert apple among many small commercial growers around the country. The apple is named for Henry Brock, the orchardist who was one of the original testers of the variety. It was at Brock’s orchard in Alfred, Maine where the variety found its early popularity. Brock is the sole apple introduction from Monmouth. (Wouldn’t it be wonderful to revitalize that program? I’d be happy to run it!) It has a full, dynamic flavor and low acidity. “Like a pleasant rainfall.” Grown using IPM (integrated pest management) at the Apple Farm.

Spencer

Summerland S-5-4 (McIntosh x Golden Delicious) Canada Department of Agriculture Research Station introduction, British Columbia, 1959. Original cross made by R.C. Palmer in 1926. Selected in 1938. This is the other Mac x Golden Delicious cross we are offering this week. We recommend it as a dessert fruit. Among the favorites of the CSA crew this fall. Although not well known, it is occasionally grown commercially and is almost always a hit. Every so often I receive unsolicited notes, letters, or emails from people who love it. In one such note, grower Phil Norris of East Blue Hill wrote that Spencer has “all the sprightliness of Golden Delicious combined with the incomparable sweet-tart ambrosia of a perfectly ripe Mac.” Grown conventionally at Sandy River Orchard.

Winter Banana

David Flory farm. Adamsboro, Case County, Indiana, about 1876. Introduced by Greening Brothers Nursery in Monroe, Michigan in 1890. One of the better known old-time apples in Maine, probably because of its bright “banana” yellow color, its intriguing name and its beautiful red blush. Old timers around central Maine called it “the Banana Apple” or “Fall Banana”. Pleasantly firm, juicy and refreshing. Some people detect a hint of banana in the aroma or taste. We recommend it as a dessert and sauce apple. Does not have the requisite tartness for pies. Keeps until early winter. Grown using IPM (integrated pest management) at the Apple Farm.

Granny Smith

…Or “Blushing Granny” as it’s called locally. Thought to be an open-pollinated seedling of “French Crab” or “Crow’s Egg” that originated at Marie Ann “Granny” Smith’s orchard in Ryde, Australia (near Sydney) about 1860. This may not look exactly like the Granny Smith you’ve purchased in the grocery stores over the years. Hopefully, it will not only look different, it will also taste a lot better. The CSA crew thinks they are less stiff and tart and more friendly than store-bought Grannies. These were grown at the Apple Farm in Fairfield. Steve and Marilyn Meyerhans purchased the trees on a hunch many years ago from a grower in the pacific northwest. It turns out that the trees are hardy enough to survive Maine winters but require such a long season that they often do not ripen sufficiently. This year was an exception, and Steve was extremely pleased with the crop when I visited with him a few days ago. He convinced us to offer them in the CSA. Recommended for eating as a dessert fruit, as well as for cooking. Will keep all winter if you have storage capacity. Grown using IPM (integrated pest management) at the Apple Farm.

The Cider Party

Every October, when the skies are cloudy all day and the temperatures hover in the mid-to-high 40s and snow or cold rain looms in the near distance, we celebrate autumn with our annual cider party. We set up a picnic table in the yard, light a small camp fire, crank up the grill, and eat and chat and press cider for the afternoon. We invite neighbors and friends, who stay for an hour or until our only light is the fire. Everyone leaves with a gallon or two of cider. This year we decided to extend the invitation to our CSA members, and we were pleased that several came. We quickly lost track of the number of varieties we pressed and never did count the total number of gallons we generated, but we estimate that 25 varieties were pressed, which made about 25 gallons. The day lived up to all expectations: it was cold and raw, and the rain held off until the last guests departed at about dark. A great deal of conversation was had, a lot of delicious food was eaten, and it appeared as though everyone had a very good time. It was a wonderful chance to put faces and names together, and to bond in person over our shared love of apples. Many thanks to those of you who made the trip up to Palermo, and for those of you who could not attend, there is always next year!

Apple Muffins, adapted from “The Joy of Cooking.” We thought that the addition of crystallized ginger, though not called for, would give these muffins a pleasant “oomph”. The Romes suit the recipe perfectly. One CSA member recommends using cardamom in place of cinnamon in apple recipes to transform the flavor into something more sophisticated and complex.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups of all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs, beaten
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ cups grated apple
5 Tbsp butter
½ cup chopped walnuts

¼ cup (or more) crystallized ginger

Directions: Sift the dry ingredients together and then set aside. Whisk eggs and sugar together. Stir in apples and let sit for 10 minutes so that the apples release their juices. Stir in the melted butter and nuts. Fold into dry ingredients. Divide batter among 12 greased or lined muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees for 14 to 16 minutes, until a testing stick comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes before removing them from the pans, as they are very tender.

Apple and Butternut Squash Soup, via “Apples, a Country Garden Cookbook,” by Christopher Idone. Winter squash is a staple food during autumn and winter. With the storage capabilities of onions, squashes, and Granny Smiths, you can make this soup in the most frigid months of the year to kick back those winter blues. We often substitute yogurt for cream and use scraps (onion and garlic skins, celery leaves, even apple peels!) to make our own vegetable stock.

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 large onions, chopped

2 Tbsp curry powder

1 tsp chili powder

5 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 large butternut squash (approx. 8 cups), peeled,

seeded, and chopped

3 Granny Smith or other firm, tart apples, peeled, cored, and diced

salt and pepper

½ cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or fresh cilantro

Directions:

In a heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add the curry and chili powders and cook for another 5 minutes. Add half the stock and bring to a boil. Transfer the mixture to a soup kettle, add the squash and apples, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the squash is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Strain the soup and reserve the liquid. Pulse the pulp in a food processor until pureed. Return the puree, reserved liquid, cream, and remaining stock to a kettle and bring to a simmer. Serve in bowls sprinkled with chopped parsley or cilantro.

If you have any recipes or tips you’d like to share, please comment on our blog at http://outonalimbcsa.wordpress.com/

“Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is.”

–Mark Twain

Out on a Limb CSA

167 Turner Mill Pond Rd.

Palermo, ME 04354

outonalimbcsa@gmail.com

Out on a Limb Apple CSA Newsletter

Wednesday, October 13^th

Gray Pearmain

Late Fall. Unknown origin. If you had your eyes closed, you’d think you were eating a crisp, delicious pear. Reminiscent of a Bosc. The best of both worlds, it is a juicy and mildly tart dessert apple. Dense sweetness. Firm white flesh. Also produces good juice. We eat a lot of them every year. The skin is a soft opaque greenish-yellow with a rosy pink blush, a bit of a russet veil, and a grayish bloom. Will store reasonably well although it may shrivel like a Golden Russet. One of the most popular of the many unusual varieties Steve and Marilyn Meyerhans grow at the Apple Farm in Fairfield, Maine. There were five or six of the trees in the orchard when they purchased it over thirty years ago from Royal Wentworth. Those trees were already very old. Unfortunately they never thought to ask the soft-spoken Wentworth about the origin of the apple. Recently we found a brief mention of it in a 19th century Maine Ag report growing in Skowhegan (very near the Meyerhans) but with no further details. Its origin may forever remain a mystery. Grown using IPM (integrated pest management), from The Apple Farm.

Priscilla

Fall-Winter. Co-op 4. PRI 1659-1= (Starking Delicious x PRI 610-2) PRI Co-op, 1972. (PRI 610-2 is a complex cross including Rome, M. floribunda 821, Golden Delicious and McIntosh.) Dark red conical, scab-immune fruit with a crisp sweet flavor. The second variety released in the PRI (Purdue-Rutgers-Illinois) disease-resistance breeding program and still one of their best. Rarely found in catalogs anymore, perhaps because the patent ran out. This is as close as you’ll get to the dreaded Red Delicious in this CSA. But no apologies, we think it’s a very good dessert apple. Richard Fahey, long time orchardist and tester of hundreds of apple varieties, wrote to me, “Priscilla is my top recommendation for a close-to-disease-free apple that bears every year. Priscilla should be on your list—great cider!” Firm, juicy, mild in flavor. Dense texture would be well-suited for baking. Will keep into mid-winter. Certified organically grown, from Sewell’s Orchard.

Macoun

Fall. (McIntosh x Jersey Black) New York Station, 1923. This is an apple with a near cult following even though practically no one seems to know how to pronounce the name. (It rhymes with town, not tune!) Especially good choice for those who like McIntosh and live south of the Maine border where Macs do not reach their prime. The very white flesh is crisp and firm but light. The well-balanced flavor is sweet and aromatic. Very juicy. Highly recommended for fresh eating. This week’s favorite of the CSA crew. Grown conventionally, from Hope Orchard.

Fameuse

Early Fall. Unknown parentage. Canada, before 1700. Also called “Snow” because of its “snow white” flesh. Recommended for fresh eating, sauce, and cider. The 1865 Department of Agriculture yearbook sums it up: “Flesh-remarkably white, tender, juicy…deliciously pleasant, with a slight perfume…No orchard in the north can be counted as complete without this variety;…it is just so good that everybody likes to eat of it; and when cooked, it is white, puffy, and delicious.” Sweet and soft, fluffy like snow, it melts in your mouth. May have originated in France or possibly in French Canada 300 years ago or more. “Fameuse” has been “famoous” in Maine for over 150 years. Still found in Maine dooryards and orchards. Keeps until late December. Thought to be a parent of McIntosh. Grown conventionally, from Cayford Orchards.

Spartan

Fall. McIntosh x Newtown Pippin. RC Palmer / AJ Mann introduction, Canada Department of Agriculture Research Station, Summerland, British Columbia, 1936. Dessert (fresh eating) fruit, somewhat similar to McIntosh. Firm, crisp, white, juicy flesh. Sugary like candy, with hints of Red Delicious. Will satisfy a sweet tooth. Medium-sized, dark red fruit that ripens about the time of McIntosh, and is occasionally grown commercially. The McIntosh flavor is greatly enhanced by Newtown Pippin. Newtown (which is also called Albemarle Pippin in Virginia) is one of the great classic American varieties. Keeps until winter. Grown conventionally, from Hope Orchard.

What is a Pearmain?

There are many apples partly named “Pearmain”. The most famous of them is Blue Pearmain, a variety that may have originated in New England but may also have been brought over from England in the very early colonial period. Blue Pearmain was commonly grown in Maine and ancient trees can still be found. (One particularly old specimen was introduced to me years ago as “Blue Paramay.” Another was referred to me as,“Blue Pearamell” as in caramel I suppose, and yet another as “Maine Blue Pear.” Aren’t names wonderful?) But Blue Pearmain was only one of many. A quick count of various old fruit books suggests that three dozen apples or more include “Pearmain” in their name. Orange Pearmain, Red Pearmain, Summer Pearmain, Autumn Pearmain, and Winter Pearmain are just a few. Some Pearmains originated in Maine such as Sebasticook Pearmain introduced by Barnum Hodges of Winslow in 1847 and Winthrop Pearmain introduced by Col. John Fairbanks of Winthrop about the same time.

Some suggest that there is some sort of commonality between all the various Pearmains. Could it be that Pearmains taste like pears? In his 1817 “Cultivation of Fruit Trees,” William Coxe describes Early Summer Pearmain as being “frequently preferred to a fine pear.” Although we at Super Chilly Farm think that Gray Pearmain, one of this week’s selections, tastes a lot like a pear, I have not yet found any other Pearmains with a pear-like flavor. Concerning flavor, Coxe does contribute this interesting comment in his description of Long-Island Pearmain: “the flesh is tender, coarse and pleasant, partaking of that dryness characteristick [sic] of all varieties of the Pearmain.” I never thought of pears as being “dry”.

SA Beach in “The Apples of New York” says, “The term Pearmain, like the term Pippin, has been applied to very many different varieties of apples. In this country it is used now [1906] much less than it was formerly. Hogg states that it ‘signifies the Great Pear Apple. In olden times it was variously written Pearemaine or Pear-maine, being the Anglicized equivalent of Pyrus Magnus, just as Charlemagne is of Carolus Magnus. A Pearmain, therefore, ought to be a long or pear-shaped apple.’” Unfortunately, none of the Pearmains I’ve seen “in person” or in graphics look remotely pear-shaped, although that could be because now-a-days we equate pear-shaped with Bartlett, and not all pears look like that. Some Pearmains are oblong like Early Summer Pearmain, Winter Pearmain and Long-Island Pearmain, some are roundish like Blue Pearmain and others are flattened (oblate) like Royal Pearmain and Gray Pearmain.

The great and usually definitive OED has a bit to add. It says the word comes from the French, “parmaine” and calls it, “An old variety of baking pear” and “Any of several varieties of apples with firm white flesh.” (Blue Pearmain is yellowish-fleshed.) It may be that the word does come from the French. AJ Downing in his “Fruits and Fruit Trees of America” calls Winter Pearmain, “one of the oldest Apples on record.” He also lists “Pepin Parmain d’Hiver”, and “Parmain d’Hiver” as synonyms. An internet search suggests that the root might be the french, parmaindre, meaning to remain, suggesting a storage apple. Other internet sites say an apple with red skin. That one I don’t believe for a second. So, we may never know what the various namers had in mind when they called an apple Adam’s Pearmain, Orne Royal Pearmain, or Hanging Pearmain, but we do hope you enjoyed Blue Pearmain two weeks ago and we have a hunch you’ll enjoy Gray Pearmain today.

Easy Pastry Shop Apple Tart, a recipe from chef Laura Calder and her show “French Food at Home” on The Cooking Channel. Rich and decadent like cheesecake but doesn’t need to be chilled. With the simple topping, the apples can really stand out on their own. We found this to be excellent with Macouns. It would also be fun to make this with Gray Pearmains and serve it to unknowing guests.

Crust: ½ cup butter 1/3 cup sugar

½ tsp vanilla 1 cup flour

Filling: 8 oz cream cheese 1 egg

¼ cup sugar ½ tsp vanilla

Topping: 3 apples, peeled and thinly sliced

½ tsp cinnamon ¼ cup sugar

¼ cup slivered almonds or chopped walnuts

Directions: Preheat oven to 400˚. Cream the butter and sugar, then stir in vanilla. Mix in the flour to make a smooth dough. Press into the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan, giving it about a 1-inch rim. Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. While the crust bakes, prepare the filling by beating together the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, toss the apple slices with the cinnamon and sugar. Remove the tart shell from the oven and spread the cream mixture inside. Arrange the apple slices on top, then scatter on the nuts. Bake until the apples are tender and golden, about 40 minutes.

Apple and Beetroot Borscht, adapted from “A Basket of Apples”, by Val Archer. A lovely union of flavors, particularly for anyone who likes a soup on the sweeter side. We are advising to use more apples than called for in the original recipe, to be sure they don’t get lost in the shuffle. Priscilla’s dense flesh would make it a good candidate for cooking, as well as Spartan’s firmness and sweet flavor.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. melted butter

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated

2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced

1 lb (approx 2 cups)beets, peeled and coarsely grated

1 ½ cups red cabbage, coarsely grated

1 bouquet garni

2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

1 14 oz can or 3 cups peeled, chopped tomatoes

4 ½ cups vegetable stock

3-4 dessert apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 tsp dried dill

salt and freshly ground black pepper

sour cream

Directions:

In a large saucepan, fry onion in butter until transparent. Add carrot and celery and fry for one minute. Add beets and cabbage to the saucepan with the bouquet garni. Pour in chopped tomatoes, cider vinegar, and stock, cover, bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Add apple and dried dill and cook for a further 10 minutes or until cabbage and beets are cooked but not mushy.

Turn off heat, pour half of soup into a blender and process until smooth. Pour back into saucepan and combine with other half so the soup is thick but still has a texture. Salt and pepper to taste. Reheat without boiling. Serve in bowls with a swirl of sour cream in each. Garnish with additional apple slices if desired.

“Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is.”

–Mark Twain

Out on a Limb CSA

167 Turner Mill Pond Rd.

Palermo, ME 04354

outonalimbcsa@gmail.com

Out on a Limb Apple CSA Newsletter

Wednesday, September 29th

As fall settles in, we find ourselves in the midst of apple season. What could be more fitting on these crisp, cool days than a slice of fresh apple pie and warm mulled cider? It’s no wonder that this fruit is granted such a special place this time of year, and here are two upcoming apple events you won’t want to miss:

Great Maine Apple Day – at MOFGA on Saturday October 23rd. The annual event features multiple educational displays, workshops, cider pressing, informational tables, many different apples to taste, Maine apple-related products and Maine apples for sale. Check out www.mofga.org for more details. We hope to see you there!

Out on a Limb Cider Pressing – Please join us on Sunday, October 24th, rain or shine, from 1-5 PM at our farm in Palermo. Meet the CSA crew, see the gardens and orchard, press cider and take home a gallon. Bring something to share for a potluck. We’ll have the grill cooking so bring something to grill if you like. Come early and stay late!

This week’s apples:

Liberty

Late Summer-Fall. NY 55140-19 [Macoun x PRI 54-12 (PRI Coop complex cross includes Rome Beauty, Jersey Black, McIntosh, Wealthy and M. floribunda)]. NY Station, 1978. Liberty is best for fresh eating but also very good for sauce and cider. Often cited as the best of the recently developed “disease-resistant” varieties, particularly in the Northeast. Keeps for only a week or two, so eat them up fairly soon. “What is the black stuff on my Libertys?” Although Liberty is considered to be 100% scab-immune, it is not resistant to insects or other lesser apple diseases. The blackish smoky film on the Libertys is called “sooty blotch.” It sometimes appears in mid-late summer on organic or unsprayed fruit. It’s not attractive but does not affect fruit quality at all. It is not harmful to plant, beast or human. Grown organically, from Wulf Orchard in Unity.

Blue Pearmain

Fall-Winter. Unknown parentage. New England origin, 1700s. Blue Pearmain is one of the most classic of all old American apples and has been grown in Maine for over 200 years. Said to be the parent of the Maine variety Rolfe. Henry David Thoreau writes of it in his wonderful essay, “Wild Apples.” An all purpose variety usually at its prime in early November, and like many varieties it’s early this year. The skin is tough and if you intend to eat it “out of hand” you might consider peeling it first. Its thick skin holds up perfectly in a baked apple. It also makes an excellent, somewhat coarse, tart, yellow applesauce, which cooks up in a couple of minutes. The skins do not dissolve but can be left in the sauce. Highly recommended for quick morning sauce. The skins would probably need to be removed (or blended) if the sauce is to be canned or frozen. The fruit keeps until mid-winter. Grown using IPM (integrated pest management), from the Apple Farm.

Empire

Fall-winter. (McIntosh x Red Delicious) New York, 1966. Despite its less-than-perfect parents, Empire is often recommended for dessert (fresh eating). It should also make very decent sauce though we haven’t tried it. The apple comes out the New York State Fruit testing program in Geneva, New York, one of the last remaining apple breeding programs in the US. It’s probably one of their best introductions. Although mostly abandoned in recent years because of small fruit size, the apple can still be found in small quantities in commercial Maine orchards. It should store quite well in the refrigerator or root cellar. Grown conventionally, from Cayford Orchards.

Twenty Ounce Pippin

Fall-early winter. Uncertain origin. About1844. Twenty Ounce is not thought of as a dessert fruit (eating it fresh would be too much of a commitment!), but we recommend it for mid-season pies. It’s also good for sauce. I have found old trees in Aroostook County so it is definitely hardy. Occasionally known to produce apples as big as a baby’s head—as much as twenty ounces! Grown conventionally, from Sandy River Orchard.

Wolf River

Fall. Alexander seedling. Near Wolf River, WI, 1875. Wolf River is probably the most famous old-time apple in Maine, likely due to its catchy name and its extremely large—even huge—round-oblate fruit. Although this years fruit isn’t as large as normal, we still decided to offer it in the CSA. Some people love the dry fruit for fresh eating but usually Wolf River is thought of for drying or baking. It is excellent for both. Because of its natural dryness, it is also the best apple for Carol Gilbert’s famous “Walk About Pie”. Keeps until late fall. Grown organically, from Cayford Orchards.

News from John Bunker

On Thursday September 16, I flew to Washington DC to be honored at the National Agricultural Library (NAL) along with four other apple historian/explorers from around the country. 2010 is the 100th anniversary of the Library. I was humbled to be included with such a great group. Nick Botner from Oregon has the largest private collection of apples in the states and maybe in the world – over 4,000 varieties. Lee Calhoun from North Carolina has been tracking down and writing about apples from the south. He published a wonderful book called “Old Southern Apples” in 1995. A new edition of the book is due out this winter. Dan Bussey from Wisconsin is completing an exhaustive multi-volume book of many thousands of apple descriptions transcribed from all the eighteenth and nineteenth century pomological literature. He has been at work on the project for over twenty years. The book will also include all 3,600 magnificent apple water colors from the USDA collection. It is due out in 2011. Tom Burford from Virginia is the apple educator laureate in the US today. His family has been orcharding since about 1700. He travels and consults and speaks about apples all over the country. The event was organized by Gary Nabhan of the University of Arizona and Ben Watson of New Hampshire. What a group to be part of!

On Thursday afternoon I roamed around the “mall” visiting various museums and even witnessed a marital proposal in front of the “Hope Diamond” at the Natural History Museum. We then all met up and ate together that evening. On Friday we gathered at the NAL for a closed session, the seven of us along with two of Gary’s interns, a food writer from the New York Times and one of the librarians. We shared ideas about how to preserve historic apples and get them out into the public again. Of course among other things I told them all about our CSA. They were all thoroughly intrigued and excited. There should be some local version of what we’ve been doing in every community.

After lunch and a tour of the rare book collection, we all spoke to a group of about 200 apple enthusiasts and USDA employees. Before we began, Dr. Simon Liu, the library director, told this story. When he was a boy in Taiwan, Dr. Liu wanted to do two things in life: drink a Coke and eat an apple. He got to drink a coke fairly early on, but an apple would have cost three days of his father’s pay. So he had to wait until his twenty-first birthday when his parents gave him two apples. He put them in a plastic bag, attached them to the handle bars of his bicycle and he and his girlfriend headed to the countryside for a romantic apple tasting picnic. When they got there, to their horror they discovered that the bag had developed a rip and the two apples were gone! It wasn’t until he graduated from college that his parents gave him another apple – his first ever.

Each of the five of us then got about 10 minutes each to talk about our own adventures as well as how we hoped the USDA and others might help advance the cause of heirloom apples. It was a welcome opportunity to wave the banner for small farmers, diversity in the food system and support for private collectors. This was all followed by an apple tasting of rare varieties we all had brought from around the country. I brought two Maine apples, Rolfe and Kavanagh. Someone brought some excellent cheese and some “probably” pasteurized cider. (I didn’t ask.) We also met with NAL officials to assist them with their plans to plant a historic orchard on the library grounds. A gala dinner followed. Our daughter Tracy who is doing Teach For America in DC joined us. Saturday morning I was up at 4 AM heading for the airport. My hilarious cab driver entertained me all the way to Reagan. He told me that he had memorized Shakespeare as a boy growing up in Nigeria to keep his mind sharp. It was a treat to be serenaded with “Julius Caesar” at 4:30 in the morning!

Walk About Apple Pie, courtesy of Carol Gilbert from Sandy River Orchard. One cold and rainy day after picking apples at Sandy River Orchard, Francis Fenton’s daughter, Carol, came out with a very special treat. Nothing could have been better than this warm, gooey, hand-held pie that melts in your mouth. We were so pleased she gave us the recipe to include here for your enjoyment.

Ingredients: 2 ½ cups flour

1 Tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 cup shortening or butter

2/3 cup milk

1 egg, separated

1 qt sliced Wolf River apples

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 Tbsp. butter

Directions: Mix dry ingredients, then cut in shortening. Beat together egg yolk and milk. Add to flour mixture. Toss apples separately with sugar and cinnamon. Roll out half of the dough to fit a greased jelly roll pan. Spread apples on top and dot with butter. Add top crust and cut slits. Brush top with egg whites and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400˚ for 30 minutes.

If you have any recipes or tips you’d like to share, please comment on our blog at http://outonalimbcsa.wordpress.com/

Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

3 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 ¼ cup arborio rice

12 oz dessert apple, peeled and diced

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

pat of butter (optional)

Directions: Heat olive oil in saucepan and saute onion until lightly colored. Bring stock to simmering point in another saucepan. Add rice to onion and saute for one minute so each grain is coated with oil. Add apple, stir, and cook for another minute. Add one ladle full of stock and cook until absorbed, stirring constantly. Repeat until rice is tender but firm (regulate heat so that the cooking process takes about 30 minutes). The rice should be al dente, firm to bite and creamily bound together, neither dry nor runny. Turn off heat, add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in grated cheese and butter. Serve at once with extra cheese on the table. Serves four.

“Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is.” –Mark Twain

Out on a Limb CSA

167 Turner Mill Pond Rd.

Palermo, ME 04354

outonalimbcsa@gmail.com

Greetings from Palermo!
Each week during the apple season we explore both familiar and uncharted territory in various orchards around Maine. This past Monday we traveled to several places – an old orchard in North Jay whose owners were interested in having John identify some of their mystery trees, The Apple Farm, in Fairfield, Cayford Orchards in Skowhegan, and lastly to Francis Fenton’s wonderful Sandy River Orchard in Mercer to enjoy some pleasant conversation, pick some Wealthys, and gather more samples for the Common Ground Fair. We excitedly deliver to you week #2′s apples and hope you find them as tasty as we do.

 This week’s apples:

Martha Crab Apple
M. baccata seedling. Excelsior, MN, c. 1889. A large-fruited crab apple suitable for fresh eating as well as for jellies, jams and other cooking enterprises, Martha has extremely crisp yellowish flesh and a sweet and sour flavor that really packs a punch.  Jason Davis of Cayford Orchards in Skowhegan introduced me to the old tree during a visit a few years ago. The crab had been part of his family’s orchard for generations.  The tree is medium-sized, annually bearing, extremely long-lived and hardy. Grown conventionally.

Beacon
Malinda x Wealthy) U of Minnesota, 1936.  A dessert (fresh eating) variety also suited to sauce and other cooking, Beacon has a slightly thick skin and a firm crisp texture.  The flavor is mild, subtly acidic and not overpowering. It would go well with cheese.  It also might be good in a pie but we haven’t tried it here.   Very heavy bearing and extremely hardy, Beacon is Mark Fulford’s most consistantly reliable tree at Teltane Farm.  It was Mark who introduced me to the apple many years ago. Grown organically.

St. Lawrence
 Early fall.  Thought to be a Fameuse seedling. Canada, 18th century or earlier.  Recommended particularly for sauce, the very white flesh is dense, firm and mildly sub-acid.  It’s not sweet. The medium-sized roundish fruit is easily recognized for its light green skin and very distinct dark red stripes.  One of the classic northern New England varieties, it’s still found occasionally in old orchards. the extremely hardy tree bears good to heavy annual crops, ripening unevenly over several weeks.  Like most other early season varieties, not a storage apple.  From The Apple Farm, grown using IPM (integrated pest management).
Red Gravenstein
Late Summer. Uncertain Italian or German origin, 17th century or earlier. The most famous of all pie apples, Gravenstein is also good for dessert and sauce. There are numerous strains of the apple, this deep purple-red strain can be found in old orchards in southern Maine. Mary Jones used this Red Gravenstein from Sweetser’s Orchard in Cumberland to win the Maine State Pie Championship a few years ago. She told me it’s “sweet but very hard to describe…real nice…full-bodied…wonderful flavor.” Ripens earlier than most cooking apples, over the course of several weeks.  It’s a minor miracle that Mary “somehow saved them until January for the State Championship.”  The tree is large, vigorous, perfectly shaped and hardy to about central Maine. Grown conventionally.
Wealthy
Fall. Cherry crab seedling. Excelsior, MN, 1868. An absolutely excellent all-purpose variety, Wealthy is also considered to be one of the best of all pie apples.  The flavor is more sweet than tart and the texture is soft without being mushy.  The fruit ripens over a long period. It’s also a good acid source for fermented cider. Our old friend, long-time orchardist, 95-year-old Francis Fenton of Sandy River Orchards, believes Wealthy—not McIntosh—should be the favorite commercial apple of northern New England. The trees his father planted in Mercer 104 years ago are still going strong.   The naturally small sized extremely hardy tree is productive moderately vigorous and long-lived. Grown conventionally.

Variety Spotlight: Peter Gideon & Wealthy, Martha, and Beacon

Peter Gideon was born in Ohio in 1818.  When he was still young, his family moved to Illinois.  In 1849, he married Wealthy Hull.  Wealthy was a descendant of Joseph Hull, founder of Barnstable Mass, and the niece of Isaac Hull, commander of “Old Ironsides” during the War of 1812.  Peter and Wealthy moved to Minnesota in 1853 where they farmed and raised seven children in Excelsior. Gideon was a man with a mission.  Soon after arriving in Excelsior, he planted 350 apple trees from seed, and thus began his long search for an apple hardy enough to survive in Minnesota.
 
Years earlier back in England,  the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew had unknowingly assisted him in his effort when in 1784 they imported the Siberian crab (Malus baccata).  Siberian was subsequently the first crab to be imported into the US, long before the days of small, pink flowering trees on suburban lawns.  Siberian is a huge tree with small, variable fruit, suitable for jelly.  It is exceedingly hardy and crosses easily with the domestic apple.  Gideon was perhaps the first to take note that M. baccata imparted its hardiness to its seedlings.  He determined that the future of apple breeding in northern areas would be to cross M. baccata with common apples.

In about 1860 he sent to Bangor, Maine for seeds of Cherry Crab, a variety of Siberian crab (or Siberian cross) of unknown origin with small yellow fruit and a red blush.   Sending to Maine for seed was an expensive endeavor in those days, and Gideon was not a rich man.  How he even knew about the seed source in Bangor is only a guess.  But he did.  The result was a seedling apple that he named ‘Wealthy’ after his wife.  Wealthy became an instant hit in Excelsior, then throughout the state, and before long, in all northern fruit growing areas.

In 1875 Gideon became the first superintendent of the Minnesota State Experimental Fruit Farm in Excelsior.  The farm  later introduced many excellent apples, pears, plums and small fruits.  Its most important introduction has been Honeycrisp, but HC is only the most recent in a long line than began during Peter Gideon’s tenure as director.   One of the many apples the farm has introduced along the way was Beacon, a Wealthy x Malinda cross.  Gideon continued to cross crabs and apples.  His most well known apple after Wealthy is called “Gideon”.  There are still old Gideon trees in Maine, including an ancient one at Peacemeal Farm in Dixmont.  He also introduced a number of edible crabs, including Martha and Florence, both named for his daughters.  Gideon died in 1899. 

This week’s recipes:

Apple Honey Custard Pie, from the famed Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen.
Featuring Flaky Butter Pastry from Apple of Your Pie, by Eileen Maher Kronauer.
If you love custard AND apple pies, like we do, this is the right recipe to try as fall approaches. A warm, soothing custard really adds to the familiar apple pie flavor. Substitute maple syrup as the sweetener for a positively New England experience.

Crust: (makes two shells! either make two pies at once or freeze for later!)
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
15 Tbsp. cold, unsalted butter cut into ½ in. pieces
 1 large egg, slightly beaten
8-10 Tbsp. ice water

Filling:
2 cups peeled, cored, and sliced apples
4 large eggs
¾ cup honey
1 cup yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
Crust directions: Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or your hands, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized bits. Refrigerate 10 minutes to chill. Whisk together egg and water in a small bowl. Add three tablespoons of egg mixture to dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon, then continue to add egg mixture one tablespoon at a time until dough begins to clump together. Form dough into two balls, then flatten into two 4-inch disks, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough from the center, rotating with every roll to ensure an even circle. Transfer to pie plate, trimming and decorating the edges as desired.

Filling directions: Preheat oven to 375˚. Spread apple slices evenly over the unbaked pie shell. Combine remaining ingredients in the blender and run at high speed for several seconds. Pour custard over apples. Sprinkle on some nuts (walnuts or almonds recommended), if desired. Bake 45 minutes or until solid when jiggled. Cool to about room temperature before cutting.

Apple Cheddar Pizza, courtesy of Matt Warren, a friend who works for Clover, a popular food truck that cooks up local vegetarian food in downtown Boston. This pizza was a hit, and especially delicious with Red Gravensteins!

Pizza dough for 1 pizza
 1 large red onion, sliced
 2 small (or 1 medium) apples, sliced very thin
  2-3 cloves garlic, minced very fine
  2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
  2 Tbsp. neutral oil of your choice

 
Directions: Caramelize onions over low heat with a bit of oil and a pinch of salt until brown and sugary. (Be careful not to let it burn!) Roll out dough and transfer to greased baking pan, stretching dough to fit pan as much as possible without tearing. Coat pizza lightly with oil. Shape crust. Spread garlic evenly over pizza (but not the crust). Add caramelized onions to pizza in an even layer. Add apple slices, leaving 1/2 inch between  each slice. (The slices must be very thin or they will not cook quickly enough.) Cover pizza with cheese, being careful not to cover apple slices too thickly. Bake at 500˚ until crust is brown, cheese is melted, and apples are cooked.

If you have any recipes or tips you’d like to share, please comment on our blog at http://outonalimbcsa.wordpress.com/

“Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is.”
-Mark Twain

Out on a Limb CSA
167 Turner Mill Pond Rd.
Palermo, ME 04354
outonalimbcsa@gmail.com