The end of fresh
and a recipe for a sweet baked Lady apples filled with herbed goat cheese
This week’s farmers’ market was as bustling as ever.
But, seemingly overnight, there had been a shift. A lone fiddler performed on the raised platform where bands of musicians usually play, her heavyweight coat a testament to the weather. The sharp nip of wind that ruffled her fringed scarf also made me dig my hands deep into my pockets. Finally, half-heartedly, shuddering clouds gave way to a sullen, cold rain.
Glove season has officially arrived.
As much as I love the turn of the seasons, there’s a certain melancholy to October. Betwixt and between, a month that’s not quite sure how to behave. As Mother Nature prepares for her long winter slumber, she seems reluctant to quite let go of everything just yet. It’s half-naked trees, brown leaves mixed with green, brilliant skies and sudden darkness, wet gardens shriveling as surely as the Wicked Witch from that first touch of water.
Apple of my eye
I could almost forgive this topsy turvy month if it weren’t for the end of fresh. As I filled my shopping basket at the market, it was all onions and kale, squash and beets, Swiss chard and Brussels sprouts. Autumn and winter stretched out ahead of me, one month too long on either end without the freshness that summer’s bounty brings.
But then I rounded the corner and there were the apples. Glorious, crunchy, sweet and tart apples. This early in the season, apples are at their best. Before they languish in their cold cellars and lose their crisp, it’s time to buy Cortlands and Russets and MacIntosh. Leave the Honey Crisps aside for the moment - they’ll be great for months on end. And don’t forget to look for Red Prince apples late in the season - a welcome change just when you think you’ve had enough.
It was then I spied an unexpected treat - tiny Lady apples that fit neatly in the palm of my hand. I knew exactly what I was going to do with these little beauties: give them an autumnal spin in the oven and then stuff them with herbed goat cheese. A perfect one bite seasonal sensation.
I might be missing fresh in the months ahead, but I’ll happily eat apples until the first tiny shoots of green push their way impatiently out of the ground.
Baked Lady apples stuffed with herbed goat cheese
makes one dozen
Lady apples are usually the purview of a fancy produce shop where every gleaming pristine piece of fruit is placed just so, and tomatoes are always in season. The first time I bought Lady apples at one of those chi chi spots, the cashier looked at them as if she was seeing them for the first time. “What are you going to do with those? Decoration?” she asked, as she eyed my purchase dubiously and weighed the bag. “Not for eating, right?”
Well, yes, for eating, although Lady apples are a treat when baked. While the fresh taste of a really good apple is beyond compare, there’s a joy in having an old fashioned baked apple too. With the weather hovering close to zero, you won’t mind turning on the oven to give these little beauties a try.
Ingredients
1 dozen Lady apples
¼-½ cup maple syrup
½-¾ cup softened plain goat cheese
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary; two rosemary sprigs for garnish
Heat oven to 350˚F.
Cut the tops off of the Lady apples, brush the undersides with maple syrup and set aside. With a melon baller, scoop out the inner flesh of the apples, making sure to get any bits of seed. Discard the flesh, and brush the apple cavities generously with maple syrup.
Place the apples, cut side up, and the tops, cut side down, on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the apples are softened but not mushy. The tops may be ready more quickly; if so, take them out and set them aside to cool while the apples continue to bake. Cool for 10 minutes.
While the apples are baking, prepare the goat cheese filling. Chop the herbs finely and mix them into the cheese, incorporating fully.
Fill each cavity with a generous spoonful of goat cheese, top each apple with a “lid” and finish off with a decorative sprig of rosemary in each apple. The apples can be made ahead and stuffed, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.