Familiar and Forgotten Fall Fruits

The seasons are changing, and so are our top produce picks. Apples are a given. When you think of fall you are probably thinking of going apple picking at an orchard or hot cider on the day it finally gets a little too cold. As a kid you may have gone bobbing for apples or had heated discussions on which apple was best—Granny Smith? Honeycrisp? Golden Delicious?—I said Granny Smith back then, but now I’d have to say Honeycrisp.

 

Since we have all the traditional ways to use apples, I’ve decided to put together a list of things you can do to switch up your use of apples.

 

One option is an apple dumpling—a great dessert that will be sure to leave you with leftovers for a nice pastry breakfast the next morning. Just remember the ice cream!

 

Now, applesauce is always a good idea. If it’s a side dish on a menu, I don’t care how old I get, I will order it. I also spread some applesauce on bagels while camping once… who needs cream cheese? If you aren’t like me and you don’t like the idea of applesauce on bread, you can always go for homemade apple butter! It’s perfect for your morning toast, and it probably wouldn’t be too bad on a bagel either.

 

Chocolate chip and blueberry are the typical pancakes of choice, but your breakfast should change with the season, so switch to apple pancakes! You can use the apple butter as a topping too. And if you need a healthy snack alternative after having dessert for breakfast, you can go with some cinnamon apple chips.

 

But while we may think of fall as apple season, we shouldn’t be forgetting about the pears. The pear family includes Bartlett, Bosc, Concorde, Green Anjou, and many, many more. The Bartlett is a sweeter pear that goes from green to yellow as it ripens. Bosc pears are more brown in color, but just as delicious. Their sweetness has a likeness to honey. 

 

While everyone is off apple picking, you can go to a different orchard to pick out some pears. Now is the best time to not follow the crowd since we’re still being socially distant. If you can’t quite let go of the apples, you can try adding pears to the apple pancakes!

 

Pears are also a great addition to salads. It’s also an easy and healthy idea for lunch or dinner, so try it in a goat cheese salad!

 

And now that we have remembered the pears, we can’t forget the pie. A pear pie would make for a great dessert after that salad.

 

As this strange summer of 2020 comes to a close, we welcome fall as a season of new beginnings… and new fruits.

The seasons are changing, and so are our top produce picks. Apples are a given. When you think of fall you are probably thinking of going apple picking at an orchard or hot cider on the day it finally gets a little too cold. As a kid you may have gone bobbing for apples or…