Cookin’ With Hoss: Apple Raspberry Pie

It’s come a long way, baby! From the legendary “forbidden fruit” that plunged humankind into sin and misery to the beloved fruit of today, the apple has certainly transformed its image. There must have been some juncture in time that word was sent down to one of the prophets to inform the faithful that the apple was granted dispensation and was off the forbidden list. And the world has been thankful ever since.

Actually, apples, and fruit in general, figured into several cultures’ legends and myths. The first apples were believed to have come from the area now known as Kazakhstan around 8000 B.C. and were brought to the fertile crescent of the Middle East. Different varieties were grown in close proximity to each other, and hybrids, or cultivars, occurred naturally. By 5000 B.C. the apple had been introduced as far east as the Orient, and was making its way to Europe via Greece.

Grafting and serious cultivation of varieties apparently began between 400 and 300 BC In the early centuries AD, the apple was spread throughout the Roman Empire, and at this time there was discussion of the medicinal properties and also as an aphrodisiac. Nearly two millennia later, at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, the phrase “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” was coined by a gentleman named J.T Stinson.

Today, more than 7,500 varieties of apples are grown throughout the world. In 2023, the worldwide production of apples topped eighty-three million metric tons, with China coming in first at forty-five million and the U.S. second at just over five million. Other major producers are Turkey, Poland, and Italy. Approximately 25 percent of the U.S. crop is exported.

Apples are a cholesterol-, fat-, and sodium-free, and are a great source of fiber. Apples are in a variety products including juice (which is a major component of many “juice drinks” in the grocery store), baked goods, desserts, applesauce, apple wine and brandy, or calvados, and of course in the fresh form. Apple cider is an ingredient in my barbecue sauce recipe!

There are several orchards in the Boone County area, and October is National Apple Month, so if you get a chance, go out and enjoy a crisp fall day, pick some apples, and enjoy them however you wish. Here’s a different twist on an old favorite.

ingredients

· 6 cups sliced Jonathan or Granny Smith apples

· 2 cups fresh raspberries

· 1 lemon zest

· 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

· ¼ cup granulated sugar

· ¼ cup light brown sugar

· 1/8 cup real maple syrup

· 2 tbsp. cornstarch

· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

· pinch nutmeg

· Pie shell

· Pie dough or crumb topping

Directions

· Mix all of the ingredients, place in pie shell, top with dough or crumb.

· If topping with dough, brush with egg white and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

· Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 325 and bake for 30-35 more minutes.

Wine Pairing:

Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco di Valdobbiadene

Franco’s non-vintage Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Rustico is a fresh, delicate, delicious sparkling white, perfect as an aperitif and dessert wine ($17.99).