Daily Dish the Sonoma Market blog
Foodie FAQs: Apples
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You know what they say about an apple a day! Whether for healthy snacking, adding to a salad, baking in a pie or trying in a savory application, apples are a favorite for a reason. These fantastic fruits are exceptionally versatile and incredibly easy to incorporate into your cooking. Get to the core of the matter with these pro tips!
You know what they say about an apple a day! Whether for healthy snacking, adding to a salad, baking in a pie or trying in a savory application, apples are a favorite for a reason. These fantastic fruits are exceptionally versatile and incredibly easy to incorporate into your cooking. Get to the core of the matter with these pro tips!
How do you pick out the best apples? Look for firm apples that have smooth skin and no dark spots, flat spots, dents or bug damage.
What’s the best way to store apples? Refrigerate them in the crisper drawer, keep dry and remove any that show signs of spoiling. For long-term storage, wrap in a paper towel or newspaper to prevent touching. Chopped or sliced apples also freeze well, but only if you’re planning to cook them afterward.
How do you keep cut apples from browning? Acidulated (a.k.a. slightly acidic) liquid! Depending on how you plan on using the apples, use citrus juice, vinegar or white wine mixed with water.
Any tips or tricks for easy peeling, slicing, chopping…? An old-school hand crank peeler/corer works great when the apples will be cooked. To peel and slice by hand, cut off the top and bottom, then peel from top to bottom, quarter and remove the core with a knife or melon baller, and cut into smaller wedges if desired. The apple wedge tool also does a great job of coring and slicing all at once if you’re leaving the peel on.
What are some tasty savory APPLE-cations? Apples go great with any pork or poultry, along with on cheese boards, sliced in salads or added to coleslaw.
Besides pie, what are other apple desserts? Try sautéing apples with butter and brown sugar to use as a topping for ice cream, or make apple strudel, caramel apples or apple caramels!
How do you make apple chips? Slice thin horizontally and punch out the core (if desired), then lay on a lined baking sheet and put in an oven at 180°F overnight. You can leave them plain or season with cinnamon, nutmeg or other spices. If you don’t eat them all at once, store apple chips at room temperature tightly covered for 7–10 days.
Which apples are best for what uses? That’s a whole other blog! Check out our Apple Rundown to get the facts on all your favorite apple varieties.
What are some seasonal apples to look out for? You may think of apples as perennial, but apple season is just kicking off! Our Produce Department is starting to see new crop apples trickle in, with more to come in the next couple of months. Some of our favorites include Honeycrisp apples and everybody’s go-to, the Fuji apple. Be sure to get a taste of the Cosmic Crisp apple, which will come to market as we near Thanksgiving.
Hungry yet? Drop by your local Nugget Market’s Produce Department to find bushels and pecks of delicious apple varieties today!
Article originally published in September of 2020 and updated in September of 2023.
