It’s official: Autumn has arrived. And although I love summer, fall is by far my favorite time of year. As I devour the last of the tomatoes, peaches and eggplant, I am giving a warm welcome to the firsts of the acorn squash, pumpkins and apples. Nothing reminds me more of this season than apples. Having sold them for several years at Husted’s Market, I’ve been lucky enough to learn a lot about the different varieties. Those found locally may differ from state to state, but here is a description of some common types:

McIntosh: Mildly tart, juicy, and tender. Good for cooking or snacking. (pictured to the left).

Gala: firm, sweet, and juicy. Great for snacking.

Jonathons: Mildly tart and tender. Great for cooking or snacking.

Honey Crisp: Relatively new variety. Firm tart and very juicy. Great for snacking.

Red and Golden Delicious: Sweet, tender, juicy. Great for snacking.

Rome: Mild slightly tart, firm. Great for all cooking needs.

Northern Spy: Tart. Great for baking: “Spies are for pies.”

Fuji: Firm and sweet. Keeps very well. Great for snacking.

Braeburn: Sweet and tart. Great for snacking.

Apple’s are a great healthy snack for grown ups and kids alike. They make a great on the go snack and I love to slice them up and serve with a yogurt based dip or natural peanut butter. They are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber can help you maintain a healthy body weight, so make sure you eat the apple skin.

Though they are great on there own, nothing says fall like a gooey caramel apple or slice of warm pie. And then there is applesauce. It is so easy, and perfect for a chilly day (plus it’s not quite as sugar loaded as the pie). I like to use McIntosh, but feel free to use other varieties.

Slow Cooker Applesauce

Ingredients:

4-5 apples – peeled, cored, chopped
3/4 cup water
3 tbsp white sugar*
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon**

*Adjust sugar to your taste based on tartness of apple used, I like mine sauce mildly sweet
**Adjust to your taste

Directions:

1. In a small crock-pot, combine all ingredients

2. Cover, and cook on high for 2-3 hours. No need to mash apples.

3. Serve warm or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator