Few things have the beauty and promise of imminent pleasure of an apple tree laden with ripe fruit. An apple tree is not a conventional beauty; unlike the straight-backed cherry tree, it’s a gnarled, twisted beauty, and a mature apple tree looks like it’s trying to corkscrew its way into heaven.
One fall I spent a week with a friend who lived on the second floor of a house in the middle of an apple orchard. He rented the apartment from a policeman and his wife. The wife owned the house and was the heir to a large orchard fortune. One afternoon, as we warmed ourselves over the wood stove, my friend whispered their story: The policeman was a drunk who beat his stepson and would discharge his pistol into the orchard after he had a few drinks. His wife wouldn’t give him a divorce because it would mean dividing her estate, so they lived together in misery.
One morning I watched from the window as the policeman walked to his car and drove away, because I wanted to know what such a monster looked like, and because I wanted to go out to the orchard and steal a few apples.
I walked out to the orchard, where the smell of ripe and rotting apples on the ground was overpowering. I grabbed a low branch and picked an apple and took a bite. It had a bracing acidity that pleasantly tingled my stomach, a juiciness that coated my tongue and gums and a crispness that I’d never encountered before. It was probably the best thing I’ve ever eaten.
When I get a hold of good fresh apples, it’s tempting to eat them all, right away. The ones I don’t eat raw I use to make this recipe of Yasmin’s. The apples are poached in fresh apple cider with a few spices. The cider is reduced and used to coat the cooked apple. The apple can be served hot or cold or room temperature and is delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
John Broening cooks at Duo Restaurant, .
Cider Poached Apples
Sweet, juicy red apples with a nice tartness such as Elstar or Jonagold are best suited for this dessert. Serves 4.
Ingredients
2 cups unfiltered apple cider
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
A few large strips of orange zest
Juice of half a lemon
8 black peppercorns
4 apples
Directions
In a covered saucepan large enough to hold the apples in a single layer, place the cider, water, sugar, cinnamon, orange zest, lemon juice and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Core the apples from the bottom trying to keep the shape of the apple intact. Leave the skin on.
Gently add the apples to the poaching liquid. If necessary, add some extra cider to completely cover the fruit. Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer poked into an apple meets little resistance. Allow to cool completely in the liquid, preferably overnight.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the apples from their liquid and stand upright in a serving dish deep enough for the reduced liquid to be poured over. Remove zest and cinnamon stick and continue simmering to reduce the liquid to a syrupy consistency. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or room temperature.
