On this Veteran’s Day, take two minutes in silence in gratitude and respect for those who have, and still are, serving in the armed forces.

Veteran’s Day has turned into a day of shopping, and it is up to all of us to keep it a day of remembrance. I will be sending a donation to NEADS, which supplies service dogs to disabled combat veterans (as well as to the deaf, a cause that is personal to me.) Do you have a charity appropriate to Veteran’s Day? Please tell me about it here.

Not all apple pies have a double pastry crust. Some have a crumble topping.

Personally, I don’t like a pie topping that is thick and sweet, like a streusel. I want it to complement the apple flavor, not to hide it. I want the apples to fill my fork, and have the topping enhance it. I’m also partial to nuts and ginger.

This is what I do:

Crumble Topping For Apple Pie

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 stick (4 ounces) chilled butter
1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup (2 ounces) nuts  (I prefer walnuts or pecans)
1 tablespoon crystalized ginger
1 tablespoon maple sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup demerara or light brown sugar
pinch of salt

Using a food processor, pulse until the nuts and butter become pea-sized.

This makes enough for two pies. Extra topping freezes well, and does not require thawing before use.

Forget what you might know about apple pie, those gloppy fillings that taste more of sugar than fruit. Forget the pies that taste like candied apples. The best apple pies have a balance of sweet to tart, they have a sharp fruit flavor that has you thinking of orchards and rain. The crust flakes and crumbles in your mouth and the apples somehow have bite and yet are soft. That’s a perfect apple pie. Here is how you make it:

First of all, you need the right apples. Pass by the Delicious, the Braeburn and the Fuji. If the only baking apple options at your market are Romes and Cortlands, get those. Macintoshes add sweetness, but they turn to mush when baked, so use only a few. Better yet are the older varieties of apples, the Golden Russet, Northern Spy and Winesap. If you can, add a few Macouns to the mix. These apples have true apple flavor, not the one-note sweetness of the supermarket offerings.

Don’t worry if, after washing the apples, they all get jumbled up and you can’t tell them apart. Start with the right varieties and you can’t go wrong, no matter the proportions.

You will need 8 cups of peeled, cored and sliced apples. The slices should be thin and uniform so that the filling cooks evenly and all the way through. The best way to do this is to use a nifty gadget which peels, cores and slices with the turning of a crank. You can read all about it in this post.

You will need a 9-inch deep pie plate, and two pie crusts, one for the bottom and one for the top. Use this recipe.

You will need sugar. You can use regular white granulated sugar, but the flavor is just one note. I prefer demerara or organic sugar which tastes more complex, but without the heavier molasses flavor of brown sugar.

You will need a thickener. Some use flour, but I think that gets gummy and tastes raw. You can use modified food starch, which yields a silky and clear filling. Or, you can use instant tapioca, which is readily available at markets. Don’t use too much, or the filling will be more like candy gone wrong more than a classic pie.

The Best Apple Pie

2 pie crusts, for top and bottom
1/2 cup sugar, preferably demerara or organic
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon fine, instant tapioca or 1 tablespoon clear gel (modified food starch)
8 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples
optional: 1 tablespoon maple sugar and/or 1 tablespoon minced crystalized ginger

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the bottom crust in the pie plate and put in the freezer while prepping the rest of the ingredients. Filling a frozen crust keeps it from being soggy when baked.

2. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon and tapioca. Mix evenly.

3. Stir the sugar mixture into the apples to coat.

4. Put the apples into the crust, mounding in the center. Drape the top crust over the apples.

5. Trim and flute the edges of the crust. Slice vents in the top.

6. You can put a cinnamon stick in the center if you wish. If you like a brown and glossy crust, brush with egg wash. For a soft crust, brush lightly with cream. You can dust with a bit of sugar. But, you don’t have to do any of these things and pie will still be lovely.

7. Bake for 45 minutes, or up to over an hour. Insert a sharp paring knife into a vent to test for doneness. It should slip right in without resistance. The length of baking time will depend on the freshness and moisture content of the apples.

Enjoy!!

I think this is a chicken costume.

Then again, there’s no comb on her head. Still, I think she’s a chicken.

A chicken wearing ballet shoes. What role could she be dancing? This snapshot has no history attached to it. So, we’ll just have to imagine.

Thoughts?

The HenCam 2014 Calendar is in the store!

Like last year, I designed it, and with a great deal of help from ITGuy Steve, uploaded it to Zazzle, which prints and ships it out. Right now, Zazzle is running a calendar sale, and you can get it for 30% off. Just click through to my store to place an order. Or, go right to Zazzle to take a look at all of the calendar photos.