The apple of my eye
Many varieties, adaptable in baking and cooking, can withstand cold seasons, and have a long shelf life
The leaves dancing around us are glittering golden and amber hues, the air has a brisk crispness to it, and the feeling of warm sweaters are embracing our arms again.
Yes, fall is here in full swing. With fall arrives those comforting flavours of pumpkin and spices, and as much as I appreciate a good pumpkin spice latte, it’s time for the PSL to step aside because there’s an old kid back in town: the sweet and humble apple.
I must confess, I’m slightly biased to this little fruit. My love for apples has literally been a lifelong affair, with my parents reminiscing how they had to buy cases of the one litre Bright’s apple juice cans just to keep up with their two-yearold’s demand.
But what’s not to love about apples? There’s so many varieties to choose from, they’re adaptable in both baking and cooking, and what other fruit can withstand cold seasons and have such a long shelf life? There’s something almost poetic about their character. They’re like your loyal friend that’s in it for the long haul with you, and will nourish you in the cold, dark seasons of your life.
What’s fascinating about the apple beyond the culinary realm is its prevalent presence on the beverage side. Truly, you can look at almost every type of drink on the market and find a version that incorporates apple. Cider comes to mind when I think of winemakers and brewers, because it’s really honouring a fruit that can ferment well and is more reliable than grapes.
The cider industry continues to expand, particularly here in Niagara where we already have some strong contributors to the industry such as Garage D’or and Niagara Cider Company, not to mention the many local wineries that are dabbling successfully in craft cider.
But moving past the obvious, there’s countless renditions of apple alcohol donning the shelves of the LCBO. Just walk through the aisles and you’ll easily come across apple-flavoured vodka, rum, bourbon, whisky and the classic brandy Calvados. Its versatile nature lends its way further into finer liqueurs such as Berentzen from Germany or the rather stronger Pálinka from Hungary. On the other side of the globe, Soju producers in South Korea are playing with apple (among other fruits) in their brews with resounding appreciation from consumers.
Back to Canada, the apple is our star among fruits. Producers in Quebec have fully embraced cider production and have made a name from themselves for specializing in their sweet nectar, ice cider. It’s fair to say that the apple is welcomed in so many recipes that it’s almost taken for granted at this point.
What excites me when I look at beverage trends is also how the apple itself is now being used in mixology. Take Beamsville’s Dillon’s Distillery, for example. Known for its wellcrafted spirits and liqueurs, it also makes up some seriously sip-worthy cocktail recipes. Early this year it came out with The Niagara Apple of My Rye. It’s a great recipe, not only because it allows its award-winning rye whisky to shine, but it uses both fresh-pressed Niagara apple cider as well as a homemade apple butter that you’re encouraged to cook yourself. As we head into the cooler months and our need to stay home remains, this is the kind of home project that I’d personally welcome.
Think about the smell of apples simmering with cinnamon in your home. Think about the sound of that crunch when you take your first bite into a fresh, cold apple. Think of the warm, comforting feeling when you sip hot cider, fresh from one of our local markets or farms. Consider taking a drive and visiting those beautiful apple orchards that are scattered around our region and are currently harvesting their fruit. I write this not only because I see apple as an upcoming trend in the beverage world, but because I am its loyal friend, wanting to see it appreciated for the beauty that it is.