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The Rural Voice, 1992-10, Page 36Rural Living 1\ •A' 11, /�� w�u1•`�Uli Illi ' ,1 Ull'11 uu „11,%.`: 1 i Apples long a part of our diet a IN` Cl3e hl lu N"1. I/. v,„, \` „u'qi; "'. .: , . \,.,.UII/r 1,1s. 111.. V1440/41l \Ullh 1v. IIM by Rhea Hamilton We have three very old and very large apple trees. Each one is different and they are all that remain of the original settler's orchard that once stretched from the house right back to the bush line. We do not use any sprays in our yard for several reasons. The first is that generally we have been too busy to make a concerted effort to do the work. Sprays can be costly. And last, but not least, the apples seem to do just fine without our interference. Yes they get wormy and no I would- n't buy them anywhere like that. But there is something natural about picking an apple off the tree and not having to worry about chemicals, although we do have to worry about the little white worm inside. Although some years the crop has been small, this year's cool wet weather has been rather good for them. We live on a gravel ridge and it is nice to sec all the trees around here getting a good drink after two summers of drought conditions. Before we cut the grass there is the task of picking up the windfalls and sorting out the good from the not so good. The apples arc then carefully quartered and made into applesauce and, later, apple butter. The spicy steam from the pot excites everyone in the house waiting for that first dish of warm applesauce. I haven't been able to decipher just what varieties we have. I think one is a Snow with pure white flesh and finely marbled red threads; makes excellent sauce and pies. The next tree has large, red striped skinned apples with an almost ivory 32 THE RURAL VOICE flesh. It too makes for good cooking and is crisp and tart for eating. The third tree we don't use too much of since it has smaller fruit and has a much harder flesh. With some exper- imenting we would probably learn that it is a good storage apple and ages well for late winter enjoyment. Apples have been an essential part of North American diets for centur- ies. Between native species and the pippins (trees grown from seed) that pioneers brought with them, the num- ber of varieties has grown in leaps and bounds. To say that there are 5,000 cultivars would be an under- statement. John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, began his career in horticulture before 1800 and grew apple trees from seed, selling them to settlers heading for Ohio and Indiana. By 1845 there were so many varieties that Andrew Jackson Downing published Fruits and Fruit -Trees of America, docu- menting about 2,000 varieties being grown in America. One of the most widely sold apple varieties is the Macintosh which was discovered in an Ontario orchard over 100 years ago. Today we still enjoy its flavour plus the many other varieties that have been bred to inherit the Mac's finer qualities. Apples are the most widely used tree fruit and varieties begin to ripen during the hot sultry days of July through the crisp autumn days of October and November. With proper storage they can be enjoyed right through to the next spring when the blossoms create a vision of billowing whiteness over the orchard once again. Even the flavour of apples reflects the varieties that people try to enhance when grafting or pollinating apples: from tan or sweet to spicy or bland. The textures provide pleasure to the palate, crisp and crunchy to soft or mealy. And because of this versatility apples are used in every part of a meal's menu. They can be served in soups, main dishes and, more popularly, in desserts. To help you through another bushel of Ontario apples try these two recipes. The apple custard is a comfort food that you give little ones on a cool night to keep their tummies warm. Baked Sausage and Apples 1 pound pork sausages (500 g) 6 medium apples cored and cut into 1/4 inch (1 cm) slices 1/3 cup maple syrup Saute sausages in frying pan until lightly browned on all sides. Place apples in 9 -inch (2.5 1/23 cm) square casserole dish. Arrange sausages in a single layer on top of the apples. Pour syrup evenly over all. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 325°F (160°C) and continue baking for 15 minutes longer. Apple Custard 2 cups sweetened apple sauce 2 cups milk 2 eggs slightly beaten Dash of nutmeg Blend the first three ingredients together and pour into a buttered bak- ing dish. Sprinkle nutmeg on top and bake at 350°F for about 1/2 hour.0 Rhea Hamilton -Seeger, in addition to working in advertising production for The Rural Voice, raises two children, and is a skilled cook and gardener.