Susan S. Yeske:
It’s still summer according to the calendar, but autumn is almost here. This time of year is one of the best seasons to visit farms and farmers’ markets.
Our favorite summer vegetables like sweet corn and tomatoes are still available and will remain available until the first real frost. You can still find the last great peaches and nectarines of the year, and even some melons. Meanwhile, the parade of fall apples has begun, along with hard winter squash such as butternuts, buttercups, acorns, spaghetti, festive, dumplings, delicata, and pumpkins.
The prizes are so high that it can be difficult to choose. The market stalls are painted in a rainbow of colors, making you want to try new fruits and vegetables every time they appear at the market. But we also want to enjoy the best of summer while it’s still available.
Compromise is always an option. You can use fresh corn to make hearty chowder, or blanch bags of corn and freeze them for winter consumption. Like tomatoes, they can also be canned or frozen. The concept of “holding off on food” during the non-harvest months is an old one and still continues among home cooks who want a little taste of summer when it’s cold outside.
Whether you eat it now or save it for later, it’s time to enjoy this most bountiful of seasons.
This recipe from epicurious.com can be served as a breakfast or brunch dish, or as a warm and satisfying dessert.
baked apple pancakes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon or 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystals.morton kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
2/3 cup (84g) all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Golden Delicious apples (about 12 ounces), peeled, cored, and sliced thinly
3 tablespoons light brown sugar (packed)
powdered sugar (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk 4 large eggs, 1 cup whole milk, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystals or 1/4 teaspoon Morton kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon. Grind the cinnamon in a large bowl. Add 2/3 cup (84g) all-purpose flour and whisk until the dough is smooth.
2. Place 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish and heat in the oven until melted, about 5 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Stir the butter in the dish and coat the bottom and some of the sides. Arrange 2 peeled, cored, and thinly sliced Golden Delicious apples (about 12 ounces) in a layer on a plate. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the apples are slightly soft, the butter is foamy, and the dish is beginning to brown around the edges. Immediately pour the batter over the apples and sprinkle evenly with 3 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar. Bake the pancakes for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown around the edges.
3. If desired, dust pancakes with powdered sugar. Serve immediately (pancakes will deflate as they cool).