Apple Harvest - Deb's Kitchen

As summer begins to fade away and the feel of fall comes creeping in so does some wonderful fruit, pomegranates, all kinds of citrus, apples and eventually pears. Have you ever been apple picking? With the smell of apples lightly scenting the air, it’s intoxicating. So too is the smell of apples being prepared in a myriad of recipes for the fall. Do you know which apples are best for cooking, how to choose and store them?

Here are a few guidelines and some recipe suggestions. An apple a day keeps the doctor away may be just another saying but there is some truth behind that. Apples are the ultimate fruit, low in calories with no fat, sodium or cholesterol. The pectin in apples actually helps to dissolve the cholesterol in ones blood stream. High in fiber, anti-oxidants, potassium, niacin and a variety of vitamins, apples are a near perfect fruit.

Choose organic apples as apples have topped the Environmental Working Groups ‘Dirty Dozen’ list, which identifies the most pest laden fruit and vegetables. You’ll want to eat the skin of the apple as disease-fighting pectin (fiber) lies directly under the skin.

Select firm fruit with no bruises or scars and treat them gently.
Don’t wash your apples until you’re ready to use them.
Keep them in a cool place, your fruit drawer of the refrigerator is fine but don’t store with other fruit. Apples give off a gas, which will ripen you’re other fruit faster. Some apples will keep weeks in the refrigerator. They will keep a few days on the counter.