Food Stuff

Suddenly, there’s a hint of fall in the air: Mornings are cooler, and the 100-degree days are drawing to a close. These end-of-summer days always make my food cravings shift from peaches and watermelon to apples, which are coming into season in all their glorious varieties. My favorite is an old variety, the Gravenstein, that grows in profusion in the Russian River area and that I’ve found locally at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op. My grandmother made them into unparalleled pies and applesauce with a winy, fragrant note. They turn into a lumpy, delicious compote so quickly that I sometimes slice up a few, add the tiniest bit of cinnamon and sugar, and cook them up for breakfast. This year, though, I plan to make a big batch and freeze it. That way, when my infant daughter is ready for solid foods, she can taste the same Gravenstein applesauce that my grandmother used to make for me.