With the fall season approaching, that means the arrival of sweater weather, new Starbucks drinks, and apple picking. We compiled an exhaustive guide to apple picking season, from the best orchards to go apple picking, the different types of apples, and a few different recipes for you and your friends/family to try.
How To Find An Orchard Near You
Although apples are able to be grown in all 50 states across America, experts have discovered that a few states reign supreme: these include New York, Washington, California, Virginia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Apples are able to survive in states whose temperatures reach below freezing for two months, hence why Michigan is able to produce such great fruit. The trees do not start bearing fruit for roughly six to eight years, however, their apples can be harvested for up to 100. Despite this lengthy time frame, most orchards replace trees after 12 to 20 years in efforts to produce the highest quality apples.
There are a plethora of different orchards to choose from, and a few variables to take into account when doing so. Primarily, you should pay attention to the size of the orchard, the apples grown within the orchard, and the timeframe in which you are picking in. Certain apples ripen at different times throughout the growing season (gala apples ripen in the August to September months where Fuji apples ripen in the October to -November period). Before picking, you should decide what apples you’d like to pick and the recipes you wish to utilizeutalize the apples in. Here is a guide on the best orchards throughout the country.
Furthermore, there are additional activities you and your family/friends can participate in within the orchards. At the beginning of fall, many farms put on seasonal entertainment such as corn mazes, family-friendly festivals, live music events, hayrides, horseback riding, petting zoos, and cider sipping.
How To Choose Apple Varieties To Pick
As far as the variety within apples goes, you have a plethora to pick from. Each apple has its own flavor profile and distinct recipes to go along with it. Here are some of the most popular that you will likely find within orchards near you —
Red Delicious
If the name itself was not convincing enough, these are some of the most popular apples grown throughout America. With a sweet flavor profile and deep red hue, these go best in salads or sandwiches, as they lose a lot of their sweetness throughout the baking process(not the best for apple tarts).
Gala Apples
These apples have a yellow-orange tint and are more mild in flavor. Their sweet taste makes them excellent for eating fresh or in salads.
Granny Smith
The famous green apple. These are the most tart and go perfectly in apple pies, tarts, or cakes. They additionally go very well as a compliment to savory dishes, and are quite versatile when it comes to cooking.
Apple Recipes To Make This Fall
We took the time to compile some of our favorite apple recipes for you to make at home after visiting an orchard!
Topping the list is, of course, the beloved apple pie. Even if you don’t want to make the crust at home, the flavor of freshly picked apples will override any store bought flavors. Simply slice your apples and mix them with a splash of lemon juice (and sugar if you desire) before adding them to your pie sheet. Vanilla ice cream is certainly recommended, but not required.
If you’re looking for something more savory, try braised chicken thighs with sliced apples. Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apples would pair perfectly with this recipe.
Finally, no fall is complete without apple cider. Fortunately, this is easier to make than you might think. Recipes generally call for an even mixture of sweet and tart apples (some suggested would be gala apples with granny smith). Simply slice your apples and cover with water, cooking for a couple hours. After cooking, transfer to another pot of water and cook for an additional two hours. Sift the liquid through a fine mesh strainer to separate the solids from the liquid. With the additions of cinnamon sticks, cloves, and light brown sugar, you should achieve a vibrant, full bodied cider which, as expected, blows any store bought cider out of the water).
Apples are grown in all 50 states and there are orchards awaiting your arrival! We hope you try some new recipes from Spoon University and enjoy the fall weather on the fields.