A P P L E Dessert by Ingredients

A P P L E Dessert by Ingredients February 11, 2008 P I E

Basic Info About Apples • • Genus malus ~25 species Family Rosaceae Apple Pomaceous fruit (pome = fleshy) Usually apples roundish, 50 -199 mm (2 -4 in) diameter, some shade of red or yellow • largest producers: US, China, France, Italy, and Turkey • largest exporters: France, Italy, Hungary, Argentina, Chile, South Africa, and US • Provide Vitamins A & C, high carbohydrates, and excellent source of dietary fiber

Quick Facts About Apples • 25% of an apple is air • Americans eat an average of 65 apples a year • Apples ripen 6 times faster at room temperature than when refrigerated • Out of 700 varieties in Maine, 200 originated from this state

The Apple’s History • Generally, they say it originated in Egypt or other civilizations around the Caspian Sea and Black Sea • 13 th century BCE – Ramses II decrees for various apples to be cultivated in the Nile Delta • 7 th century BCE – ancient Greeks were also growing and harvesting apples • Ancient Rome – Roman statesmen Pliny the Elder recognized 37 different types of apples

FACTS • The crabapple is the only apple native to North America • 2500 varieties of apples are grown in the United States. • 7500 varieties of apples are grown throughout the world. • Apples are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free.

Johnny & the American Apple • Johnny Apple seed = John Chapman • 19 th century – Johnny buys apple seeds from a Pennsylvania cider mill • Westward expansion brought Johnny to the Midwest where he started nurseries • In the growing frontier, new homesteads had to plant 50 apple trees in their first year • Johnny sold apple seeds to settlers and helped them cultivate the trees • Became a staple in American diet

Uses of Apples • 3 broad classes of apple use: 1. cider 2. cooking 3. dessert • World Crop: about 32, 000 metric tons a year § of American crop: - more than half used as fresh fruit - 1/5 vinegar juice jelly and apple butter - 1/6 canned as pie stock and applesauce

Apple Types

Definition of Pie A pie is any dish that consists of a crust that encloses or holds a scrumptious filling, such as meat, fruit, vegetable, nut, or cream. i. e. Argentinean empanada, Chinese dumplings, American pizza

History of Pies • Ancient Egypt – origin of pie-like pastries • Ancient Greeks – develop first resemblance of modern day pies – Flour-water crust and meat • Ancient Romans conquer the Greeks and develop the pie to include mussel, oyster, fish, and other fine meat • 14 th century – England modern day pies

English Pies • Originally called coffyns – Morticians borrowed this word • Pie crusts used to store and preserve food – Pies = closed crusts – Tarts = open crusts • 1361 – English recipe for apple tart discovered • Almost identical to today’s apple pies with exception of some spices

How did Apple Pie a la Mode Get Its Name? • Cambridge, NY - Professor Charles Watson Townsend regularly dined at Cambridge Hotel and always ordered ice cream with apple pie • Berry Hall, a fellow diner, asked him what it was and he said there wasn’t a name for it • She called it Pie a la Mode • The Professor liked it so much, he used the name to order, and introduce, it to the famous Delmonico Restaurant • The order became a regular and exploded into popularity thanks to a journalist who saw and reported the story

The making of… APPLE PIE • • 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie 1/2 cup unsalted butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Cont’d… • • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.

• Fill crust with apples, mounded slightly. • Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. • Cover with crust. • Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. • Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft

Pie Crust Recipe • 1/2 cup shortening • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/2 cup cold water Chop shortening into cubes and then work into flour and salt mixture either with hands or a fork. When crumbly add water to hold mixture together. Dust working surface with flour and roll dough gently with rolling pin. Place in pie pan and trim the sides with a knife or scissors

Sources • http: //www. urbanext. uiuc. edu/apples/facts. htm • http: //www. rickerhill. com/Apple%20 History. htm • http: //whatscookingamerica. net/History/Pie. History/Apple. P ie. htm • http: //www. theworldly. org/Articles. Pages/Articles 2005/Ma rch. April 05 Articles/Apple. Pie. html • www. Chat. mapleleafs. com • www. msnbc. com • www. recipetips. com • www. allrecipes. com