Every fall, I sample as many apple varieties at the farmers market as I can manage. My goal: Find the most flavorful, naturally — but also the absolute firmest, too. Nothing makes me sadder than biting into a mushy apple, and therefore nothing makes me happier than finding one so firm I worry, if only for a second, that I might damage a tooth in the biting. (I never have, thankfully.)
Ginger Gold is a perennial favorite, but FYI, for that teeth-pulling delight, I haven’t found an apple firmer than an Arkansas Black.
Along with everything else, farmers markets are different this year, with no sampling allowed (at least at any of the ones I visit). So, I’m glad to have a resource in Amy Traverso’s “The Apple Lover’s Cookbook,” which I loved in its first iteration a decade ago and have been happy to see updated. Traverso provides a guide to 70 varieties, categorizing them as, say, “tender-sweet,” “firm-tart” and the like.
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As much as I love eating apples out of hand, I also cook with them plenty, slicing them raw for slaws and salads and slipping them into sandwiches, roasting (or Instant Potting) them into applesauce, and baking them (naturally) into desserts. Are apples the most versatile fruit in the kitchen? Traverso’s more than 100 recipes make a good case.
Share this articleShareWhen the new edition of her book crossed my desk, I was looking for something that could be substantial enough to eat as a vegetarian main course, and her Squash and Apple Gratin fits the bill.
It’s pretty simple: You bake butternut squash with cream and cheese (this is not a diet recipe) until it’s tender, briefly caramelize “firm-sweet” apples and onions in a skillet with a little rosemary, then combine the two under a shower of fresh breadcrumbs and broil until browned. I’ve tried it with those Ginger Golds, with my husband’s favorite Honeycrisps, even with good old Golden Delicious.
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Whichever apple variety I’ve used, the result is rich and hearty, with lots of satisfying differences in flavor and texture — with the soft and nutty squash, the sweet and crisp-tender apple and that crunchy, garlicky topping. Like apples themselves, the dish is special enough to put on your holiday table, but its easygoing enough for dinner any night of the week.
Make Ahead: The gratin may be baked, assembled, cooled and refrigerated, covered tightly, without the breadcrumbs for up to 5 days. Bake for 15 minutes to reheat, then add the breadcrumbs and broil before serving.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
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