When I lived in Los Angeles and later St. Louis, there wasn’t much to do during apple season. No one has ever called me and said, “Go to the farmers market!” Red Delicious apples come from Washington state, and they aren’t as bland and predictable as usual. ”
In contrast to “Out Our Way” (New England), the first breezy McIntosh was a raucous delight. But to be fair, Red Delicious has its place and continues to rank in my top 10 favorite apples. Moreover, they are a photogenic paragon of deep red and are unmistakably “apples” with a capital letter. But oh, what if there had been a cold night in the Central Valley that produced a crisp McIntosh? We might have reconsidered bailing out Golden State.
The orchards surrounding these areas are not just apples. Hollis Hills Farm in Fitchburg, Leominster’s Shoren Farm, Flat Hill Orchard, Lunney’s in Lunenburg, George Hill Orchard in Lancaster, Bolton Spring Farm, Doe Orchard in Harvard, or Phillipston. Even if you go to Red Apple Farm, you’ll probably come back loaded with stuff. Pick your own or buy a bag, box, or bushel.
But do you realize how many new varieties there are? And how many heirloom varieties are making a comeback? Fiddling with fruit has been an American pastime since Lancaster’s Luther Burbank planted the first garden in the 1800s. Time moves quickly when it comes to apples, and the following anecdote can prove it.
Over 25 years ago, I had several conversations with the late Dana Sulin of Sulin Orchard in Fitchburg. Dana, an avid orchardist, was following the University of Minnesota news with great interest. They had developed an apple called “Honeycrisp”.
At her first chance, Dana grafted a thin branch onto her stand that would grow new apples. After his success in the late ’90s, everyone who visited the orchard was struck by Honeycrisp’s sweetness, crunch, and overall hardiness. These apples kept for several months (I tested).
You can now find Honeycrisp apples at any grocery store and they are still my family’s favorite. However, eating apples is not enough in autumn. they need to transform. Right?
When I thought about Dana and his apples, I pulled out The Sulin Orchard Cookbook — 100 Years of Family Farming. So I found a muffin recipe. It was probably made thousands of times by a very special group of kids: middle school students at the old BF Brown School in Fitchburg.
I posted a question about “BF Brown Apple Spice Muffins” on the Fitchburg Historical Society’s Facebook side, and within an hour I was flooded with exactly the warmest and most loving responses.
Eunice Halbedell of Rindge, New Hampshire, remembers making this recipe in Ms. Moran’s class when she was in seventh grade.
“She took the time to explain the recipe and how to make it, and also gave helpful tips, like substituting ingredients if they were missing. We wrote out each recipe and evaluated it. Then she supervised us and had us learn by reading and doing, much like how my mother taught me at home.
I used the apple “Shamrock” that I found at Bolton Spring Farm. These were advertised as cheeky green, cooking-friendly apples, and they were exactly that. I didn’t want to overcrowd the muffin cups, so I made 15 muffins. Sugar is only in the topping. Your apples will make this sweet enough.
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BF Brown Apple Spice Muffin (circa 1950s)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and bake for 15-20 minutes
Sift together 2 cups flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Melt 4T shortening (I used butter this time). Beat 1 egg, add 1 cup of milk, cool and add melted shortening. Add the sifted ingredients all at once. Mix gently and add 1 cup chopped and peeled apples. Place in a “well-greased” muffin tin. Sprinkle a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar over each muffin.
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Sally Craigin is an award-winning journalist. Send your recipes and stories to sallycragin@gmail.com.
