Of course, y’all, Merry Christmas. I’m hoping the curious rabbit hole that is Internet Christmas shopping hasn’t got you too frantic and beady-eyed. A rabbit’s heart is known to explode at certain high speeds. So if that doesn’t make you as warm and cheery as the California sun, I’m hoping these few enlightening “Tidings of Joy” will find you in the right, the sincere, the ORGANIC (if you will) type of holiday cheer.
Tiding #1: A few helpful hints to finding the best apples: Make sure it’s organic! This ensures your apples are pesticide, insecticide and herbicide free. These guys are in no way genetically modified and aren’t sprayed with wax (the stuff that makes your supermarket apples glossy-looking…Double yuck). For apples, the skin should be clean and bruise free. A dull finish may mean the fruit is past its prime. You can refrigerate apples up to two weeks. Leaving them at room temperature could cause them to become too mealy.
Tiding #2: Here’s a tip for understanding your grapes. Ripe white and green grapes should have a yellowish cast while red and purple ones should not have any greenish coloring. Grapes can be kept for up to one week in a ventilated plastic bag. If they sit in room temperature for even a day, you’ll be making your own wine in your fruit basket.
Tiding #3: How to preserve precious pears? These babies will ripen off the tree so a producer will generally give you a firmer pear. When they’re ripe, they should have a little give at the neck when pressed. Here are some different varieties of pears: Anjou, which is egg-shaped with a green, rose-tinged green or red skin; Bosc, which has a slender neck and a brown skin (these guys are flavorful even before being fully ripe); and Bartlett, which has a red skin or a green skin that yellows as it ripens.
Tiding #4: Apple-Pear Galette Recipe that will please any sized family
Serves 8
Hands-on Time: 20m
Total Time: 1hr 20m
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for the surface
- 2 9-inch refrigerated piecrusts
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
- 3 Empire, Gala, or Cortland apples, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 3 Bartlett pears, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, beaten
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350° F. On a lightly floured surface, place one piecrust on top of the other and roll out the stack to form one 16-inch circle. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread 1/4 cup of the preserves on the crust, leaving a 2-inch border.
2. In a large bowl, toss the apples, pears, flour, lemon juice, ginger, cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Transfer to the crust, leaving the border clear. Fold the edges of the crust over the fruit mixture.
3. Brush the egg on the crust and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of sugar. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is tender, 50 to 60 minutes.
4. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of preserves and 1 tablespoon water over medium heat until liquid, 2 to 3 minutes. Brush on the fruit. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tip
When baking a fruit pie, put a foil-lined baking sheet on the bottom of the oven to catch bubbling juices.
Nutritional Information
Calories 378; Fat 15g; Cholesterol 36mg; Carbohydrate 59g; Calories From Fat 35%; Sodium 210mg; Fiber 3g; Sugar 27g
Delicious! Happy holidays everyone. Hope these tidings and tips were helpful. Give us any feedback at amy@californiafruit.com. I’d love to hear from you.
Cheers,
Amy B.
