Henny Penny Farmette

Apple season traditionally extends from Labor Day to Thanksgiving, depending on what part of the country you live in. That noted, some orchards have varietals of apples ripening prior to Labor Day. Some apples might be ripe by mid-summer while others need a longer season and come to harvest later in the fall. In Washington state as here in northern California, apple season runs from roughly from August to November.

In autumn, local orchards offering a “you-pick” option often close when the weather gets cold. But picking your own apples offers a great family outing and at a cost-savings. Think about the grower facing labor costs for picking, storing, and shipping the apples to market. Those costs can add up and some of it gets passed on to the consumer. Buying a few pounds or a bushel basket of apples that you pick yourself will save you some of your hard-earned cash.

I grew up on a farm in central Missouri but my grandparents did not have apple trees. In the fall, we would drive to a local orchard in the country near where we lived and pick bushel baskets of apples. My Grandma Rosie would turn the fruit into apple butter, applesauce and sliced apples preserved in a hot water canner for winter suppers. And don’t even get me started on her apple deserts that included cobbler, crisp, crumbles, cookies, fritters, pandowdy, and apple pie.

If you happen to have a pound of apples on hand for cooking or eating fresh, why not try making them into this simple apple fritter recipe for a breakfast (or anytime) treat?

Recipe for Country Apple Fritters

Ingredients:

1 pound apples

1 cup flour

1 pinch salt

1 egg

2/3 cup milk

oil for frying

granulated sugar for dusting fried fritters

Directions:

Whisk together the salt and flour in a large bowl. Make a well and add the egg. Drizzle in the milk and whisk to combine ingredients. Set aside the batter for about an hour while you prepare the apples.

Peel and core the apples. Cut into uniform-size rings no more than 1/2-inch thick. Heat enough oil to cook one or two rings at a time. When the oil is hot, use a skewer stick to hold the apple ring while you dip it into the batter. Fry each fritter to golden brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel and dust with sugar. Serve immediately.

Enjoy reading about farm topics? Check out my Henny Penny Farmette series of cozy mysteries. Chocked full of farm trivia and helpful advice for keeping chickens and bees and growing heirloom fruit and vegetables, all three novels are available online and in bookstores everywhere.

A Beeline to Murder–When the town’s celebrity pastry chef is found dead, Abby Mackenzie (a former cop who supplies the chef with her organic lavender honey) discovers the chef’s secret private life suggests the killer might be local.



The Murder of a Queen Bee–The botanical shop owner and friend of Abby Mackenzie doesn’t make it to a party where she’s the guest of honor. Her death leads Abby to speculate that friends of the deceased might be hiding her killer.



A Hive of Homicides–Abby attends a vow-renewal party of her best friend and is an ear witness to the murder of the newly arrived re-married couple. The husband’s philandering past establishes a pool of suspects but Abby is convinced that there’s more to the murder a scorned lover’s revenge.