With the holiday season comes baking seasonal desserts for family gatherings, Friendsgiving’s and office potlucks. It also makes for the perfect opportunity to support local! Not only does sourcing local food items provide you with fresh ingredients, but you’re also supporting local agriculture and helping small businesses.
Locally produced foods are more likely to look and taste fresher, making your favorite seasonal desserts taste even sweeter! One barrier to sourcing local ingredients is many people don’t know where to start.
Start by searching for farmer’s markets and local farms in your area or join community supported agriculture groups, all of which will have the information to help you source quality local ingredients. Foodland Ontario and Farm Fresh Ontario are also both great sources for finding locally produced food items and their products can be found in grocery stores without having to think twice about whether they’re grown local or not, just look for the logo.
One of the most baked items this time of year is Apple Pie. Apples are only harvested between the months of September and October. Much like other fruits and vegetables, they have a specific growing climate that limits them to different harvest schedules throughout the year and that’s what makes this recipe so popular around Thanksgiving. Sourcing local can also help you understand the flow of seasons in your area, making it a handy tool when shopping for fresh foods.
The Greater Simcoe Muskoka region is very rich in agriculture and there are plenty of farms to visit to find the items needed. You can visit a farm near you to pick your own apples to add to your fall baking experience or buy them from a local market.
Barrie Hill Farms in Springwater and EFT Farms in Innisfil are just two examples near Barrie that grow and sell apples. Barrie Hill Farms also allows you to pick your own apples and have a variety of different kinds depending on the desired taste. If you’re in the Muskoka region, Freskiw Farms Muskoka has a variety of apples and other seasonal produce.
Farmers markets are another great way to find common pantry items like spices. Cinnamon is a must in apple pie so have a look for this item while you’re there.
Grandma’s Famous Apple Pie Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 recipe for double pie crust
- 6-7 apples, sliced (Barrie Hill Farms, EFT Farms)
- 1 ½ tsp of cinnamon
- 8 tbsp of unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp of all-purpose flour (Stone mill flour)
- ¼ cup of water
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 eggs + 1 tbsp of water, for egg wash (Sheldon Creek Farms)
Steps:
- Make the pie crust recipe
- Preheat oven to 425F and prepare filling
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the 3 tbsp of flour, then let simmer for one minute.
- Next whisk in ¼ cup of water and 1 cup of sugar, bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and let simmer for three minutes
- Peel and remove cores of apples and place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle in the 1 ½ tsp cinnamon and toss to combine.
- Next pour the sauce you have prepared in the saucepan over the apples and ensure all apples are coated.
- Sprinkle work surface with flour to roll out your pie crust to a 12” diameter.
- Wrap it around the rolling pin to transfer into the pie dish
- Add in the Apple mixture
- Roll the second pie crust same as the first and cut into 10 even thickness strips. Arrange the strips in a woven lattice pattern over the top.
- Beat the 1 egg and 1 tbsp of water together for the egg wash and brush over the top.
- Bake at 425F for 15 minutes
- Reduce the heat after 15 minutes to 350F and continue baking for another 45 minutes or until apples are soften
- Rest for one hour before serving
Are you inspired to add more locally produced food into your fall recipes? Let us know if you try this one out and tag us @YourNorthLife on Instagram & Facebook!
The BDAR Team