Make this Foraged Apple Dessert!
Fall means an abundance of apples. Apple trees are common in parks, public land, and along trails, particularly if the land was historically an orchard or farmstead. Foraging windfallen fruit does little to impact future harvests, but watch out for insect damage as these fruits are frequently subject to caterpillars!
Check out Urban Foraging by Lisa M. Rose to learn how to find, identify, harvest, and cook 50 common wild plants. Expert forager Lisa M. Rose shares all the basics necessary for a successful harvest: clear photos that aid identification, tips for ethical and safe gathering, details on culinary uses, and simple recipes will help you make truly fresh, nutritious meals.
Wild Apple Tarte Tatin Recipe from Urban Foraging by Lisa M. Rose
A tarte tatin, despite the fancy name, is really an upside-down apple pie.
Take a stroll to discover the ingredients for a wild apple tarte tatin. Turn the lilac bush found in a vacant lot into a delicious, delicately flavored jelly for your morning pastry. Discover a new way to feast on fresh food. Urban Foraging is a stylish, scrumptious guide to wildcrafting in the city. You’ll learn how to find, identify, harvest, and cook with 50 common wild plants, such as chickweed, dandelion, echinacea, honeysuckle, red clover, and pine. Expert forager Lisa M. Rose shares all the basics necessary for a successful harvest: clear photos that aid identification, tips for ethical and safe gathering, details on culinary uses, and simple recipes will help you make truly fresh, nutritious meals.
How to Pick the Best Apple Variety
“In 1850 America had uncounted apple varieties for fresh eating, cooking, cider making, apple butter, applesauce, drying, pickling, vinegar, wine, and even livestock food readily available. There was remarkable acclimated diversity of varieties in New England, the mid-Atlantic, the upper Midwest, and the Northwest—and even some varieties adapted to the Deep South.
But by the middle of the twentieth century, large conglomerates would have gained control of varietal diversity and the number of offerings would drop to only a few dozen.
Happily, in the early decades of the twenty-first century we are now striving to return to the dynamic and richness of the apple culture that was abandoned. The apple future is full of promise” —Apples of North America: A Celebration of Exceptional Varieties by Tom Burford
In Tom Burford‘s book Apples of North America he expertly guides you through nearly 200 varieties. You’ll not only learn which apples make the best pies, ciders, and applesauce but also the rich history of each variety, how to grow your own apple trees at home, and instructions on how to preserve your apples through pressing, fermenting, cooking, and drying.
There is no better guide through this tasty world than Tom Burford, whose family has grown apples in the Blue Ridge Mountains since 1715.
Best apple varieties for baking your Wild Apple Tarte Tatin:
- Buckingham
- Idared
- Johnson’s Fine Winter
- Jonathan
- King David
- Newtown Pippin
- Porter
- Rome Beauty
- Wolf River
- York
“For all of us who cherish the apple, its utility, its flavors, and its powers of revelation and connection.” —Adrian Higgins, garden columnist, The Washington Post
The apple is one of the most iconic fruits, traditionally picked on cool fall days and used in pies, crisps, ciders, and more. And there is a vast world of varieties that goes well beyond the common grocery store offerings. With names like American Beauty, Carter’s Blue, and Fallawater, and flavors ranging from sweet to tart, this treasure trove of unique apples is ripe for discovery.
There is no better guide through this tasty world than Tom Burford, whose family has grown apples in the Blue Ridge Mountains since 1715. His celebratory book Apples of North America is brimming with beautiful portraits of heirloom and modern apples of merit, each accompanied by distinguishing characteristics and common uses. You will also find information on growing apples at home—with specifics on planting, pruning, grafting, and more—and instructions on how to preserve apples through pressing, fermenting, cooking, and drying.
Advice from Barbara Damrosch on Growing Your Own Apple Tree
“An apple tree is a year-round wonder… Few sights are prettier in the springtime—even old, gnarled trees, when they flower, look like something out of Swan Lake.” —Barbara Damrosch, A Life in the Garden: Tales and Tips for Growing Food in Every Season
Barbara Damrosch has been described as “the Julia Child of gardening.” In her latest book A Life in the Garden she imparts a lifetime of wisdom on growing food for herself and her family. Personal, thoughtful, and often humorous, this book offers practical DIY insights that will delight gardeners, cooks, and small-scale farmers.
In her section on garden fruits Damrosch reveals her favorite apple varieties (the vigorous Spigold and the all-purpose Liberty), how to prune your apple trees, and some of her husband, Eliot Coleman’s, cider adventures through Normandy, France.
“Drawing on a lifetime of organic gardening, Barbara Damrosch collects her lessons learned and wisdom gained into an easy-to-read-and-enjoy overview of kitchen gardening. For the new gardener, there is encouragement on top of nuts-and-bolts advice. For every gardener, there is inspiration to face the challenges inherent in a life deeply rooted in and fed from the garden.” —American Gardener
In A Life in the Garden, horticultural icon Barbara Damrosch imparts a lifetime of wisdom on growing food for herself and her family. In writing that’s accessible, engaging, and elegant, she welcomes us to garden alongside her. Personal, thoughtful, and often humorous, this book offers practical DIY insights that will delight gardeners, cooks, and small-scale farmers. With a personal and sometimes irreverent tone, Barbara expresses the pleasure she takes in gardening, the sense of empowerment she finds in it, and the importance of a partnership with the real expert: nature.
