by Dame Jill Van Cleave

I love to bake pies of all kinds and – like many Midwesterners – one of my favorites is apple. My focus had been on the crust formula until the day I started preparing the filling with an assortment of apple varieties. The improvement in taste was dramatic.

It was the Green City Market that spurred my experiment. Here was a forest of apples, so many varieties previously unknown to me. Grower Mick Klug suggested four varieties in my pie, each with a different flavor profile and texture characteristics: Jonathan for its juicy flavor and a spicy tang; Honeycrisp, pleasantly sweet and crisp (Gala or Fuji can substitute); Ida Red lends tangy/tart flavor with texture that holds up; Empire for its sweet/tart flavor and firm texture. Try Cortland in place of Empire or Jonagold instead of Jonathan.

Some years ago while shopping at the fall Market I mentioned my apple blending tests to Green City Market founder, Dame Abby Mandel. She asked if I would do a pie baking demo. I agreed as long as Mick Klug joined me to talk about apple varieties to the audience. It was exactly what she wanted, of course. And she did love the pie.

Here is the recipe for my Market Apple Pie.