October Is the Perfect Month to Celebrate the Apple : Popular Fruit Can Be Enjoyed as Part of a Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner Menu

Celebrate October as Apple Month. Enjoy cold apple cider, apple pancakes, apple strudel, apple dumplings and, of course, apple pie.

Want more? How about apple muffins, apple fritters, caramel apples, alcoholic and non-alcoholic apple drinks?

According to the International Apple Institute, total apple production for 1988 was 9.1 billion pounds. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the dollar value for the 1988 crop was $1.1 billion.

Rich in Fiber

Apples are rich in fiber, have no cholesterol and contain only 81 calories. They range in flavor from sweet to tangy.

Apples are grown commercially in 35 states including Washington, New York, Michigan, California, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and West Virginia.

The season for apples begins in July and August, with early varieties such as Gravenstein and Early Cortland, and continues through November with the harvesting of such late varieties as the Golden Delicious and Granny Smith.

Popular Varieties

-- The 15 most popular varieties of apples, listed in order of 1988 production, are: Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Rome Beauty, Granny Smith, Jonathan, York, Stayman, Newtown Pippin, Winesap, Idared, Cortland, Northern Spy, R.I. Greening, Gravenstein.

-- The Granny Smith is growing faster in popularity than any other variety, a 125% increase from the five-year average.

The International Apple Institute says more than half of the U.S. apple crop is eaten as fresh fruit; the rest is processed into apple products including apple juice and cider, applesauce, dried apples and canned apple slices. Other uses include baby food, apple butter and jelly and vinegar.

You can enjoy apples from a local supermarket, produce stand or right off the tree--there are hundreds of “u-pick-em” orchards nationwide. For information about orchards in your area, contact your state travel bureau, chamber of commerce, or agricultural extension service.

Apples can be stored in the fruit bowl on the kitchen table. However, if you don’t plan to eat the apples right away, put them in the refrigerator. Cold temperatures slow down the ripening process. Apples can be stored in the vegetable crisper or in a plastic bag in the coldest part of the refrigerator. If there isn’t enough room in the refrigerator, wrap each unblemished fruit in paper and store in slotted boxes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated storage area.

To freeze apples, core, peel and slice them, then dunk the slices in lemon juice, and pack the slices closely in a container that can go into the freezer. Or make a large batch of applesauce and freeze it in small containers.

Cooking Tips

-- When using sliced apples in a cold dish like apple salad, rub all exposed apple flesh with a mixture of equal parts of lemon juice and water so the slices won’t turn brown too quickly.

-- Don’t use water in apple pies or in brown Betty recipes. Apples are naturally high in water content, so they rarely need any extra moisture for any dish. When cooking applesauce, use only enough water to avoid scorching.

-- Use apple pie filling as a topper for ice cream, or use on Belgian waffles with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon.