The Apple

Even if I live to be 100 years old, I doubt that I'll ever find a food more yummy, more delectable than that all American favorite: apple pie. Could there be a more tantalizing combination than perfectly ripe apples intertwined with cinnamon or perhaps nutmeg, cooked to perfection and wrapped in a golden brown crust? I think not. Still, lest the more jaded among us smile at the thought of such simple, humble fare reaping such high praise, allow me to submit my case.

Apples are health food personified. Fiber, vitamins and that oh so good taste are delivered with a minimum of calories and a touch of sugar. The seeming endless variety of apples, ranging from the tart Granny Smith to the luscious Winesap offer an array of varied flavors to tempt the connoisseur's palate. The heady perfume of ripe apples freshly gathered is enough to make the stingiest word smith wax poetic. Here is a food worthy of praise. Why rave about moldy cheese and the product of rotten grapes and yet neglect the iconic tributes of of that flavor powerhouse, the apple?

Although apple pie in its many forms and varieties is my favorite use of the apple, it is by no means the only use for this magnificent fruit. If you've never tasted home made apple butter, the mixing of apples cooked for hours with cinnamon or a secret combination of spices known only to the one stirring the cast iron or copper kettle, then you've missed a high point of the culinary arts. The world would indeed be a less hospitable place had apple cider never come to be. Even now, a fragrant cup of hot mulled cider can transport me to visions of a cold winter's evening spent before a roaring fireplace, with family and friends to share the delightful brew. What would Sunday morning breakfasts be like without apple jelly to spread on oven fresh hot biscuits?

Most assuredly, we would all miss the rainbow hue of green, gold and red should we forget to bring home apples for the fruit basket.