Saturday, October 25, 2008

Apples and More Apples



Today, I stayed home and played with apples. I brought back so many varieties of apples from my day of videotaping Thursday at the U Mass Cold Spring Orchard. It was really interesting to learn about the research and the techniques that they are using to try to grow better apples with less use of chemicals. One thing that really surprised me is how even organic apple growers usually use some chemicals because there are so many bugs and fungi that love apples as much as we do. I keep reminding my daughter to never eat an apple without washing it first.

So, I baked some pies and made an apple/carrot salad for the horses for a treat. I’ve been using this nutritional supplement called Platinum Performance. I sprinkle it over a little mix of low-carb grain, Triple Crown Lite, and a scoop of Fiberpsyll by Select. Add a dash of cinnamon because Siete doesn’t like the taste of the Platinum Performance and mix in a few apple chunks and carrot bits. It makes up for the fact that it’s so rainy and windy today.

Inside the house, I’ve got the fire blazing and the oven going. I used an apple pie recipe that was my father’s favorite. It was given to me by an old family friend, Ginny Carey, who used to live in Belchertown, Massachusetts. By amazing co-incidence, that’s where I went to shoot at Cold Spring Orchard. All the way home, I’ve been dreaming about making Ginny’s pie recipe. I’ve mixed in Rome, Granny Smith, a Golden Delicious and a couple of Honey Crisps.

I took a snooze in front of the fire while the pies baked. I’ve got some French Vanilla ice cream and some caramel sauce that I made, which I’ll warm up and drizzle on top. Can you hear Lyle Lovett singing in the background? Feels like Heaven to me!

15 comments:

Deejbrown said...

Yummmm. So that was the warm fall scent wafting into northern NJ. Glad you were able to find the time to catch a snooze. We should all do more of that.

detroit dog said...

Sounds like a wonderfully cozy day!


(Thanks for your comment yesterday, too.)

Callie said...

Oh my gosh! I'm envious! I swear I can smell that through the computer! Yummmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!

Unknown said...

It's a beautiful apple pie !
The horses also have eaten nice things.
Now I'm making marmelade with apples, watermelon and coconut or lemon. Some prefer with lemon, other with coconut.
I like the two marmelades for breakfast.
See you soon

Grey Horse Matters said...

The pie looks absolutely delicious. With the rain and the wind it sounds and smells like a cozy wonderful day. I'm sure the girls loved their treat too.

billie said...

The pie looks great!

Nor’dzin said...

Looks yummy! Our apple crop was not so large this year, but enough to make half a barrel of cider - it should be ready in time for Christmas.

Rising Rainbow said...

I never thought of using cinnamon to mask supplements. That's a great idea, Victoria.


And the pie looks nummy!

Victoria Cummings said...

Mikael - I can't take credit for the cinnamon. I learned about it from LJB over at the horsey therapist. It really helps - I used it with the doxy. Siete loves it!

Victoria Cummings said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Pony Girl said...

Oh goodness, wish I was there! ;) Sounds like a perfect cozy fall day. That pie looks amazing. You even did the fancy criss-cross kind of top crust (I'm sure it has a real name.) I love the idea of a caramel drizzle for the top, too!!

Anonymous said...

Aw, those apples look delicious and that pie looks wonderful!

Surprisingly, our barb horses don't like apples, nor carrots! They much prefer the local fruits... But I don't think Arwen could say no to such a delicious pie! She'd have a heard time learning it wasn't for her though, lol! :-D

Ewa said...

What a lovely apple pie you made.. mmm...
I know apple tree that is loved a lot, no chemical used and produce big apples. Sometimes with worms - but in life we need to share - right?
I will post picture of that tree soon, because it is remarkable.
Tnak you for good wishes to Atomik - he is much better today :)

Lori Skoog said...

Victoria....you and I are on the same page with this apple, fire, horsey stuff. So far I have picked about 15 bushels from my friends orchard and they will keep in the barn until about Christmas. The horses get one in their feed ....I break them in half with a big screwdriver. As for your pie, if I lived closer I would have to come over for a piece. Looking at it makes my mouth water.
Lori

PS...I see that some of my links are now reading your blog. France and Africa. Isn't Ishtar news so interesting?

Anonymous said...

Great pie! Except that I use a natural herb product from Blueridge Botanical in Tennesse. I ususally dump in on their oats but sometimes I give it to them plain. They love it!